Chapter Text
For the first time in ages, they slept in. Will was so used to being woken with breakfast that he almost panicked when he felt a body wrapped around him.
Hannibal looked so peaceful in his sleep, lashes fanning over his cheeks and lips slightly pursed, Will had to kiss him. It was gentle, just a brush, but enough to make Hannibal stir and pull Will against him.
“Good morning,” Hannibal murmured, eyes still closed.
“It is. You"re still in the bed.”
“Mm,” Hannibal sighed, stealing another small kiss. “You were far too warm when I attempted to get up.”
“I didn"t even think you were capable of sleeping in. Are you okay? Are you running fever?”
Hannibal tightened his grip. “Hush, or I"ll let you starve.”
Chuckling, Will snuggled closer, more than happy to keep Hannibal in the bed for as long as he"d allow. Hannibal was perfectly relaxed, nuzzling against Will much like a cat and dropping soft kisses over Will"s cheeks.
If there were to be a decent time for a conversation, this was it. Where Hannibal couldn"t hide from him.
“So, can we talk about this?” Will asked softly, nothing accusatory, brushing his knuckles over Hannibal"s throat. “An actual conversation that doesn"t include the removal of our clothes?”
“I"d rather we didn"t,” Hannibal responded resolutely.
“That"s the issue I"m having. You"ve never shied away from open communication with me. It bothers me that you"d start now. After everything.”
Hannibal wouldn"t meet Will"s eyes, and he stayed quiet just long enough for Will to consider dropping it entirely. “How does one open a box they"ve intentionally welded shut for most of their adult life?”
“They accept that their husband will pry it open with brute force, otherwise.”
That, at the very least, got a smile from Hannibal. It wasn"t wide, no, just a crinkle of his eyes, but it did ridiculous things to Will"s heart.
“I think I get it, though,” Will continued. “You"ve worked so hard to perfect your control, to always own every possible situation and outcome, that giving it up is both the most terrifying and most erotic thing you can imagine.”
Hannibal closed his eyes, then, shoulders tensing even as he leaned toward Will. “It"s horribly disconcerting, even now, to be seen so thoroughly by another person.”
“We"ll work on it. And, luckily for you, I"m pretty amazing,” Will quipped, pulling Hannibal into his arms. “No fluffy ears or dog collars, though. Even I have limits.”
“I think I"d look quite charming with a tail,” Hannibal replied, perfectly indignant.
“The stupid thing is that you would,” Will agreed, kissing Hannibal soundly for a moment. “You pulled off plaid suits, for God"s sake. It"s practically sorcery.”
“You were wrong, however,” Hannibal said quietly after a few moments of silence.
“Hmm?”
Leaning up on one elbow, he looked down into Will"s eyes, his own maroon shining bright with passion. “The most terrifying thing I can imagine is losing you.”
**
“I bought something today. A few somethings.” Will said nonchalantly, even if he felt anything but, as Hannibal prepared dinner.
“If you tell me it"s a few dogs, I"ll be sorely disappointed that you took that joy from me.”
“I don"t buy dogs,” Will huffed, stealing a small piece of red bell pepper from Hannibal"s chopping block to pop in his mouth. “I adopt them. Wait, you want to get me a dog?”
“Was that a blatant attempt to force me into removing your fingers? Out, or make yourself useful with the veal.” Then, a beat later. “What did you purchase?”
“You"ll see. After dinner. What is this?”
“Veal scallopini in a sweet red pepper sauce. Something simple for tonight. Should I be concerned?”
“Yup,” Will nodded, ignoring the comment of making himself useful in favor of simply sitting at the bar to watch. “You need a word.”
It was slight, almost imperceptible, but the tensing of Hannibal"s shoulders was very apparent to Will. Instinctively, Will wanted to smooth it away with his fingers and lips, but he knew Hannibal well enough. He knew he"d have to drag this out of him, as forward and direct as possible.
“A word?”
“Yes. A word. Something that lets me know you want to stop.”
“A safeword,” Hannibal murmured, scraping the chopped vegetables into the skillet. “So, I can assume that whatever you"ve purchased pertains to my proclivities.”
“Our proclivities,” Will corrected. “And, yes.”
Hannibal fell silent, then, focusing on their meal and keeping his back to Will. His breathing changed slightly, and the surgeon steadiness of his hands lessened. Just as Will started to stand to touch him, reassure him, he spoke.
“Teacup.”
**
Dinner was tense. Hannibal was unusually silent through most of it, which bled into Will"s nervousness. He had to remind himself to be patient, to keep Hannibal present and with him, in the moment, until Hannibal was more comfortable in his submission.
They washed dishes in silence, gentle touches passing between them before Will took Hannibal"s hand and led him to the bedroom. He could feel Hannibal"s tentative steps, and his hitch of breath as they entered.
“I want you to look at each item. Touch the ones you"re interested in, and then we"ll talk about them. Anything you don"t touch will never be used. If you"re unsure, tell me.”
He had laid out each implement on their bed. The shop he"d found in the city had a wide range of choices, some he hadn"t even known what they were for, so he kept it relatively simple with things he felt comfortable using. They"d learn together, and broaden later.
Hannibal was perfectly still while Will took seat in the corner chair, staring at the bed with a blank look. He moved closer, but still didn"t touch, and Will could see his breathing speed up. Finally, he skimmed his fingertips over one, then another, inspecting one before touching it and hesitating before another. In the end, he only ignored a single item.
“Come here,” Will said softly, holding his hand out. Hannibal took it and allowed himself to be pulled down, sitting between Will"s thighs with his back to Will"s chest. “Are you okay?”
Hannibal exhaled, relaxing into Will, but only slightly. “I am now.”
Closeness. Hannibal felt better being close to Will. He filed that away.
“How did you feel about the wrist cuffs?”
“Binding me seems to be a general requirement.”
“No,” Will responded quickly. “I"m not asking about expectations or what you think should happen. I want to know how you feel. What went through your head when you saw them and knew they were meant for you?”
Hannibal gripped Will"s thigh briefly, then smoothed the fabric beneath his fingers. “I felt- I wish to have them. I want to know that I"m incapable of fighting you.”
“Good,” Will praised, nuzzling against him. “The choke collar. Asphyxiation.”
The shudder that ran through Hannibal was barely visible, but Will could"ve spotted it from across the room.
“Highly pleasing, though, I"d prefer your hands.”
Hannibal"s voice had gone rough, and Will could feel the ache growing persistent between his legs.
“How am I supposed to make it through this conversation without ravaging you? Christ,” Will muttered, then took a deep breath to clear his head. “My hands. Got it. No thought given to the blindfold?”
“I wish to see you.” Hannibal paused, looking down. “I may require some grounding. Being able to see you will help.”
Will nodded and kissed his neck again. “No blindfold, then. Tell me why your hand shook when you touched the leather strap?”
“That"s- That"s what I"ve always imagined. The few times I"ve allowed myself to.”
Groaning, Will held him tighter. “I can"t wait to use it on you. The scalpel, too. Which, by the way, I thought you"d immediately pass over.”
Hannibal didn"t squirm, but Will could feel the tension in the line of Hannibal"s shoulders as he leaned further into Will.
Hannibal took a slow breath. “The idea of scars from you has never been unwelcome.”
“Talk to me, Hannibal. Please. Tell me what you"re actually thinking. I hate not knowing.”
“In plain terms, I"m a masochist. If past experiences are worth anything, I"d venture to say extremely so. Your hands delivering the pain has the potential to prove dangerous, if we"re not careful.”
“You always did like the thought of me killing you.”
“My point exactly. Choosing a word may have been useless.”
Instinctively, Will squeezed him tighter. Understanding his apprehension made things easier; Will trusted Hannibal, even if Hannibal didn"t trust himself.
Will lowered his voice, pressing his lips to Hannibal"s nape. “You"ll use your word because I want you to. Because you wish to please me. Understood?”
“I-,” Hannibal stopped, cleared his throat and tried again. “I"m afraid there might not be a limit for me. Wishing for you to stop could be unattainable.”
“Alright,” Will agreed, spreading his fingers over Hannibal"s heart. “Then I"ll never put you in a position to use it. Can you be satisfied with me breaking you, but not eradicating you?”
Just the thought of damaging him beyond repair made Will feel sick in his gut.
“Yes,” Hannibal whispered, covering Will"s hand with his own. “Yes, I can.”
“I"m nervous, too, you know,” Will murmured. “I"m just as new to this as you are.”
“What troubles you?”
“I"m worried I won"t live up to expectation. That, after all the years you"ve buried this part of yourself, I"ll make you regret letting it surface.”
“That"s hardly possible,” Hannibal said simply.
“Tell me that again after. Please.”
**
“Your word,” Will urged softly against Hannibal"s lips, pushing his shirt of his shoulders. “I don"t intend to make you use it, but just so I"ll feel better.”
“Teacup,” Hannibal clarified, clutching Will"s hips with unsure fingers.
“Good boy,” Will praised quietly, smiling at the shudder that traveled the length of Hannibal"s spine. He slid his slacks and underwear down his legs, trailing his fingers gently over the taut skin of Hannibal"s thigh, a smile tugging at his lips to see Hannibal was already thickening.
“Your scent is different,” Hannibal said as he lie on the bed, measured and practiced calm that Will could see right through.
“I"m nervous,” Will admitted, fingering the cuffs in his hands. “And you"re absurdly gorgeous, so I"m trying very hard to keep myself from simply taking you. My self control is severely lacking, in case you"ve never noticed.”
“I had no idea,” Hannibal remarked wryly, stretching out in an almost cat-like arch. “I"ve no intention of helping you with that, by the way.”
Will grinned, looking down at the ridiculously impeccable man that was, somehow, his. “On your stomach, before I do exactly what I wish and don"t allow you to come.”
That strangled Hannibal"s voice, muscles growing tight as he gracefully turned over, resting his head on his forearms. Will pulled his arms above his head, securing one wrist and then the other to the headboard, trailing his fingertips over Hannibal"s biceps.
Will"s heart pounded, seeing Hannibal this way. Vulnerable, hips arched slightly off the bed, slow, controlled breaths stretching the skin over his ribs.
“Christ, you"re beautiful. I don"t think I"ll ever get used to it.”
Taking a deep breath, Will picked up the leather strap, testing its weight. It wasn"t terribly thick or heavy, but repetitive strikes with it would serve just enough. If only he could decide where he wanted to mark first.
The first stroke was light against Hannibal"s thigh, hardly even enough to sting, but Hannibal sighed and melted into the bed. The next one was harder, catching Hannibal"s side, Will judging the difference of location and pressure.
He’d seen Hannibal take all sorts of pain, in varying places with various implements, and he almost always took it in silence. He’d barely even flinched, truth be told, nothing noticeable to anyone other than Will, even when others would’ve been begging for it to stop. Unfortunately, that seemed to be the frame of mind he was currently in, only tensing minutely under Will’s attention. Minutes passed and Will’s confidence with the strap grew, blows falling harder over Hannibal’s backside. His skin grew from pink to red, flushing brightly with every new stripe. All the while, Hannibal remained quiet, and frustratingly, he grew even more still, whereas Will could barely contain the rapidly growing lust he felt at seeing the man in such a state.
“You’re not with me,” Will accused, gently, trying not to sound breathless.
Hannibal rolled his shoulders as much as he could, then turned his head Will’s direction. “I’m here.” As usual, his voice was steady. Will felt ready to burst with want.
“You’re not. You’re in your head.”
“I-,” Hannibal cut his words short and inhaled slowly as Will dropped the strap hard across his ass, eyes falling shut. “I’m trying.”
“Let me see you,” Will urged, all but desperate. “Not the person you"ve created for the outside world.” Another harsh slap of leather on Hannibal"s thigh. “You.” Across his shoulder blade. “Lover.” Stretching across his ribs. “Murderer.”
Hannibal drew his knees beneath him, shaking as a needy sound formed in the back of his throat. “Will…”
“The man that kills for me and then loves me like no other.” Will swung, three quick straps across Hannibal"s ass.
“Oh, God, Will,” Hannibal sobbed, finally, finally, voice raw, back arching. “Harder, please. More. Anything.”
Will sighed heavily, pleasure rippling through him. “Good boy. No more silence, no more retreating into your mind.” Will dragged the strap down the length of Hannibal"s spine, then snapped it hard across the center. “Give me everything.”
Will"s arm ached with exertion, painting designs over Hannibal"s bruised flesh and committing every soft moan, ragged breath, gentle sigh that left Hannibal’s lips. Each new stripe had Hannibal arching up, physically reaching for more even as he bellowed into the pillow beneath him. On a particular hard stroke against the inside of his thigh, Hannibal froze, head lifting off the pillow for a moment before he shook hard and growled, back bowing.
“Will…”
Will shuddered, pride blooming through him at Hannibal’s open expressions as he dropped the strap and dragged his hand roughly over the red swell. “Christ, I want to be inside you. I want to feel the heat from welts I"ve given you while I fuck you.”
“Please,” Hannibal groaned, agonized and debauched.
Quickly, Will released the snaps on the cuffs, freeing Hannibal"s arms and coaxing him onto his back. Hannibal hissed through his teeth as his abused flesh pressed into the bed, but Will quieted it with a kiss.
“I wish you could see yourself right now,” Will said against his lips, sliding his palm over Hannibal"s slick chest. “I wish everyone could see how I"ve undone you.”
Hannibal squirmed and fisted the sheets, then gripped his cock, stroking quickly.
“You like that idea,” Will grinned as he removed his jeans. “I"ll have to find you an audience one day. Stop,” he said forcefully when he saw Hannibal"s stomach clench.
Groaning pitifully, Hannibal resumed his clutch of the sheets, head turned to stare longingly at Will"s exposed cock. He licked his lips as Will stepped close.
“Just a taste,” Will murmured, leaning over to press the head against Hannibal"s mouth, bracing one palm against the headboard.
Moaning softly, Hannibal nudged his tongue against the slit, gathering the leaking fluid with a grateful sigh.
“Christ,” Will whispered as he looked down, knees buckling a bit and he couldn"t stop himself from sliding into the warm velvet of Hannibal"s mouth. He saw Hannibal"s hips arch up, swollen cock bouncing against his belly as he sucked harder. Will saw stars. “Have to stop, before I lose all control and finish in your throat.”
He moved to settle between Hannibal"s thighs, slicking his unsteady fingers with lube.
“My goal, in this moment, is not to hurt you,” Will breathed, sliding one finger inside as he watched Hannibal"s face. “Tell me if it"s too much.”
Hannibal grunted, circling his hips and then exhaling slowly. “It won"t be, I assure you. You don"t have to be so careful. I"m not entirely inexperienced in this aspect.”
Will growled and bit at Hannibal"s thigh, unsure whether he was overwhelmed with arousal or jealousy. Probably both.
“Not with anyone other than myself, and only a number of times,” Hannibal sighed, dropping his head back. “More, please.”
It was definitely arousal, then, strong enough to speed Will"s hand marginally as he pushed in a second finger. He gripped Hannibal"s cock, thumbing the head.
“I"m going to see that one day. Have you find your own pleasure while I watch.”
“Will,” Hannibal choked, clutching Will"s wrist to slow his hand. “I"m painfully close. Please, it"s enough. Truly.”
Will tried to slow his racing heart as he readied himself, dizzy and overwrought with the need to claim, to mark. He wanted to crawl inside Hannibal and live in his skin. Keep Hannibal like this, desperately his, forever.
“You"re shaking,” Hannibal mused as Will leaned over him, blunt tip pressed to him.
Will braced one palm on the pillow while the other slid over Hannibal"s neck. “The things I could do to you… the things you make me feel are unexplainable.” He eased forward, breath hitching at the tight heat. “I want to break open your chest, count your heartbeats in my palm, feel your pulse quicken and stumble beneath my lips.”
Hannibal breathed harshly through clenched teeth, digging his nails into Will"s shoulders as Will slowly entered him. “Please, please.”
“Peel away every layer until you"re nothing but blood and bone.” Will’s cock pulsed as Hannibal clenched around him and he had to pause, just for a moment, to avoid rushing forward. Nothing had ever felt so overwhelmingly amazing.
“It"s terrifying,” he exclaimed roughly, once he was fully seated.
“It"s astonishing,” Hannibal whispered, tone stricken with awe. “Will, I cannot explain-”
“You don"t have to,” Will panted. “I know. I feel it. Every day.”
Tentatively, Will pulled back, just a fraction, and pushed back in, forcing a guttural noise from Hannibal. Suddenly, Will couldn"t breathe, pressure mounting quickly in the pit of his stomach.
“Don"t move,” Will gritted out. “I"ll come.”
“That"s- me, too. Me, too. Please,” Hannibal pleaded, nails digging into Will"s back.
“I"m sorry,” Will growled, canting his hips. “I wanted,” he withdrew, only to bottom out just as quickly, grunting, “this to be different.”
Will wanted it to be slower, more controlled, a pace that allowed him to catalogue and memorize every single emotion Hannibal felt through it all. Will wanted many things, but release had, once again, worked its way to the top of the list.
“Perfect. You"re perfect. Harder, please,” Hannibal rambled breathlessly, arching up to meet Will"s harsh thrusts.
Will could feel sweat forming along his spine, Hannibal"s nails slipping on his skin. Everything burned as he chased the edge, quickly sitting up to wrap his hand around Hannibal"s throat and squeezing.
“Fucking come. Let me feel you come while I"m inside you. Just from me being inside you.”
Looking down at Hannibal, flushed cheeks and lip between his teeth, straining for air Will wouldn"t give him, Will wasn"t sure he could last. He squeezed tighter, snapped his hips upward and Hannibal"s eyes clenched shut, brow drawn and mouthed Will"s name.
“Good boy,” Will sighed, letting Hannibal gasp for air as soon as the first wave of sticky warmth hit his belly. “Such a good fucking boy. Amazing. Mine, all fucking mine.”
Hannibal was still tensed when Will thrust hard one last time and came, white noise in his ears as he shook. Hannibal moaned weakly, fingers slipping over Will"s forearm as the last vestiges of pleasure coursed through him.
Collapsing, Will kissed Hannibal hard, chests heaving against one another. After a few moments, Will pulled back, looking into hazy amber eyes. Hannibal looked drugged, eyelids heavy and his jaw slack, even as he trembled all over.
Slowly, Will rolled onto his side, gathering Hannibal in his arms and kissing his hair. Hannibal clung to him, nuzzling his face against Will"s chest.
“Never dreamed it could be like this,” Hannibal whispered, seemingly to himself. He was still squirming slightly, like Will was still inside him, kissing every bit of Will"s skin he could reach and digging weak fingers into Will"s flesh.
Will couldn"t speak, he could only nod as his hands traced the fevered welts on Hannibal"s back, getting another soft moan from him.
When their breathing had finally returned to normal, Will murmured. “What does it say about me that I"m tempted to track down and bludgeon everyone else that"s ever seen you like this?”
“That you were imagined solely for me. But you wouldn"t have to go far, darling. There"s only you.”
Will’s heart pounded at the term of endearment, so foreign from Hannibal’s lips. He sounded far away, like he was floating and utterly dazed. Will couldn’t hide his smugness.
“You look disgustingly pleased with yourself,” Hannibal slurred, a smile tugging at his lips.
“I am,” Will agreed, all but beaming. “You look content. Happy, even. It’s a beautiful look, and I’m taking full credit. Expect gloating.”
“You’re going to be insufferable from this point forward, aren’t you?”
“Yup.”
Hannibal snuggled closer. “I"m quite okay with that.”