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Hannibal sighed deeply, pressing his fingertips into his eyes for a moment, trying to squeeze out the afterimages of the hospital lights that stuck to his eyelids. He blinked purposefully and gazed through the car window, waiting for the red light to change. It wasn’t ever properly dark in the city, car lights and neon adverts polluting the skies. The rain made their glow fuzzy on the windscreen, and he quickly swiped the condensation from the drivers side window.
His residency was exhausting him. And Hannibal did not get tired, hadn’t in a long time at least. But now the days seemed to drag on and the dawns were always too brief. He’d begun to drink coffee as a necessity rather than as something to be enjoyed, and was making more ‘quick to prepare’ meals than he cared for. The most aggravating thing about these shifts were that no matter how tired you were afterwards, the lingering adrenaline and stress kept you awake. Hannibal’s brain and body were so alert that he usually lay awake for about an hour before he persuaded himself to drift off. It was cruel the way the body was close to sleep when it wasn’t allowed to, and as soon as a bed and a break presented themselves, it woke up again. Having been drowsy since his lunch break, Hannibal was now tense and wide awake. Good for a safe drive home, he supposed.
No matter how hard he stared at it, the red light wasn’t going away. He was sure it had almost been a full minute now, and the other drivers were starting to honk their horns in protest, as if the light would hear them and hurry up. He leaned forward in the driver's seat to try and see what the fuss was, and noticed a police car had parked at the corner ahead and was holding the traffic. The lights were off, but he could still make out the face of the cop gesturing toward a figure in the shadow. Hannibal recognised the officer; he’d been at the hospital a few weeks back with a light stab wound. He’d managed to patch him up pretty fast, and the wound was neat, so Hannibal wasn’t too surprised to see him back at work. Still, it couldn’t hurt to walk over under the guise of a check in, work out what the problem was and whether he needed to wait much longer.
‘Officer Chana?’ Hannibal sauntered towards the car.
‘Hannibal?’ The officer went from building frustration to relief as he saw who had interrupted him. ‘How are you?’
‘I believe the more pertinent question is how are you?’
Chana chuckled, patting his side gently. ‘Much better now, thanks to you. Barely feel it.’
‘Glad to hear it, officer.’ Hannibal smiled politely, glancing questioningly at the man being pulled over for the first time. Just as his mouth formed around a question for Officer Chana, his breath stopped. This wasn’t a man, nor a boy, simply an angel. He stood meekly, having tried to shuffle away when he thought the cop was distracted, hands toying with the front of his vest. Poor thing, he must be freezing - tight wifebeater and jeans slung low on his hips. His curls hit his shoulders, a wild fringe almost covering wide ocean eyes that drew Hannibal in.
It was clear what this boy was doing, out on that street corner under the lamplight. Hannibal seethed at the idea that any other man could have taken him home if he’d driven past before him. Not now though, now this boy was Hannibal’s.
‘You’re not about to arrest my partner are you, Officer?’ Hannibal said in mock reprimand, hooking an arm around his angel’s waist, trying to soothe his look of surprise by squeezing his hip gently. And if he kept squeezing once he felt the soft muscle, who could blame him?
‘Your partner?’ Chana narrowed his eyes sceptically, looking back and forth between the odd pair.
‘Well. A few weeks in, but I hope so. Too forward, darling?’ Hannibal crooned, nuzzling into the younger man’s curls.
The boy giggled and laid a hand on Hannibal’s chest, playing along.
‘No, no not at all.’ He mumbled shyly, giving Hannibal such a convincing look of adoration that his heart stuttered.
‘I was just coming to pick him up. Was he causing trouble?’ The doctor teased.
‘No, no. I uh- I was wondering if he needed any help is all. It’s cold out and he looked… lost.’ Chana stuttered, blushing as he tried to backtrack.
‘It’s no problem, officer. It’s not his fault he looks too beautiful to be wandering street corners without attracting unwanted male attention. A few unlucky men have tried to proposition him while we’ve been out together, and I assure you, they were turned away.’ Hannibal smirked and spread his fingers, one hand spanning the length of skin between his boy’s hip and ribs.
‘Shut up, Hannibal.’ The young man murmured affectionately, leaning his head against the doctor’s shoulder. ‘It was one time, don’t act like I’m all that.’
‘Oh but you are, my love.’
Chana smiled at them both and began to back away, raising a hand up in apology.
‘Sorry to bother you then, Sir. I apologise for the misunderstanding.’
‘No apology necessary.’ The boy smiled, turning into Hannibal to hide his face as the cop got back into his car and drove away.
‘Asshole.’ He breathed as he heard the engine start.
Hannibal chuckled and pulled his boy close, arms circling his waist.
‘Language.’ He said fondly.
‘Sorry. Just cops like that piss me off.’
‘Like what?’
‘Always targeting the easy arrests and backing off as soon as a problem arises. If you’re gonna go for the vulnerable rent boy, at least give him a place to sleep for the night.’ The younger man rubbed his hands over his face, frustration and exhaustion mingling in his expression.
‘You are welcome to stay with me.’
Suspicion suddenly grew in his eyes. ‘You’re too helpful. What do you want? You a murderer, or what?’
Hannibal smiled, a glimmer in his eyes, ‘Even if I was, I assure you that’s not what I’d do with you.’
The boy looked him up and down. ‘Why’d you know that cop?’
‘I work at the hospital. We see a lot of police casualties.’
‘Johns Hopkins?’
‘Johns Hopkins. I’m in residency there.’
‘Clever boy, huh?’
Hannibal grinned, gazing like a bewitched man at the beauty before him. ‘What’s your name?’
‘I don’t give clients my real name.’
‘Am I a client then?’ Hannibal stroked small circles into his hip with his thumb.
‘I’m getting the sense you want to be.’
‘Oh, darling, I thought we were partners.’ Hannibal pouted, smirking when he managed to pull a laugh out of the man.
‘Fine, fine. It’s Will.’
‘Hello, Will.’
‘Hello, Hannibal.’
Hearing his name roll off that angel's tongue - Will’s tongue - made Hannibal swoon. As close as he ever got to a swoon, that is, more of a soft closing of his eyes to bask in the moment.
‘You must be cold.’ He took the opportunity to rub the man’s exposed arms, lingering slightly at the biceps.
‘Men like to see the arms. As you’re proving.’ Will sulked, cuddling closer.
Hannibal smirked and met Will’s eyes, happily throwing himself into the current.
‘How can I resist when you look so divine?’
Will rolled his eyes and pressed himself against the other man’s body.
‘You taking me home, then? I’m cold.’
‘Would you like to come home with me?’
‘If you promise you’re not gonna kill me.’ Will sniffed, already trailing towards Hannibal’s car.
‘I promise.’ Hannibal said, more to himself than anything. It was odd, being able to make that promise earnestly. No matter what happened, he knew deep down he couldn’t quite kill this one. It was exhilarating. And absolutely terrifying.
****
Once the car started up and Will warmed his hands in front of the heater, he spoke again.
‘Whereabouts do you live, then?’
‘Only about fifteen minutes from here. I can drop you back in the morning if you like.’
Will paused again; Hannibal could see he was staring in his peripheral vision, but kept his eyes staunchly on the road in permission of that piercing gaze.
‘Why are you being so helpful?’
‘Perhaps I’ve simply decided you’re worth helping.’
‘Mm. But why?’
Hannibal smirked. ‘You’re beautiful and I’ve had a long day. It would bring me pleasure to warm and feed you.’
‘A pity fuck?’ Will said sardonically.
‘No. Never that, Will. I believe we are both above that.’
‘You do want to sleep with me, though, right?’
Hannibal chuckled and met his eyes briefly before turning back to the road. ‘You are proving to be irresistible. But if you would rather have a night off, I am happy to pay you without receiving your services.’
Will hummed thoughtfully and tapped the dashboard absentmindedly. ‘Maybe I’ve decided you’re worth servicing.’
Hannibal fought to keep a nonchalant expression, but a toothy grin was threatening to spread across his face.
‘Have dinner with me first.’
‘Not gonna say no to that.’ Will stretched, his vest riding up and exposing the v lines that disappeared under his waistband, drawing arrows to lure Hannibal in.
He parked the car and opened Will’s door for him, the boy smiling at the odd politeness of it all. His clients usually didn’t even let him leave the car, just shoving him face down into the back seat.
‘I was going to make duck. Is that alright? Any allergies?’
‘No, no, I’ll put anything in my mouth.’ Will grinned mischievously, and Hannibal squeezed his hip playfully in reprobation.
As they made their way to the kitchen, Will looked around in barely concealed awe. It was a fancy house - much fancier than a usual client; certainly much fancier than a trainee doctor should have.
‘Please, sit.’ Hannibal gestured at the barstools by his kitchen island, clearly his cooking was a spectator sport.
‘Would you like a drink?’
‘Whiskey?’
Hannibal nodded and picked a bottle from a drinks trolley, pouring a generous few fingers into a crystal tumbler.
‘Trying to get me drunk, doctor?’ Will teased.
‘Trying to get you warm.’
It did warm him as soon as he took a sip, it was good whiskey, smokey and rich. It tasted as expensive as the house looked.
‘S’nice.’
‘Good.’ Hannibal smiled, eyes as warm as the whiskey, and set about preparing vegetables. Will understood why the barstools were there as soon as it began; a kind of ballet, strong forearms cutting so fiercely and yet still so gently. He found himself wondering if he’d be like that in… other situations.
‘How was work?’ Will asked sweetly, resting his cheek on his palm in theatrical adoration.
‘Oddly domestic question.’
‘Sometimes people are just lonely. Are you lonely?’
Hannibal considered for a moment, watching as Will sucked his lower lip into his mouth, pink tongue just visible as it licked the stray liquor away.
‘No. Loneliness demands expectation.’
‘You’ve got used to being alone.’
Hannibal nodded as he lay the duck breast into a sizzling pan, the marinade it had been soaking in suddenly sparking into a cacophony of aromas. Will breathed it in deeply and hummed in appreciation.
‘Work was unremarkable. Long days, harsh lights, demands from anything that can speak.’
‘Does it get to you? All the pressure and the dying people?’ Will scrunched his nose up, the entire situation abhorrent to him.
‘It is the alive people that annoy me.’ Hannibal smirked playfully, but continued ‘I have lost a patient, and it did… upset me. It’s never nice to feel you could have helped.’
Will’s gaze suddenly grew searching, and for a small, alarming second, Hannibal saw his own eyes reflected back in his boy’s.
‘No. You weren’t upset that they died, you were upset that it happened despite you. You’d have no problem with death if you’d chosen to inflict it.’
Hannibal only titled his head slightly in response, not wanting to show how intrigued he was.
‘Do you believe I’d choose to inflict death?’
Will blushed and went back to nursing his drink.
‘N- sorry- I didn’t mean to offend you, my mouth sometimes works without my brain’s permission.’
‘Don’t apologise, you have not caused offence. Merely curiosity.’ Hannibal began to add myriad things to myriad pots and pans in a way that made Will’s head spin.
‘In your own psychology or mine?’
‘I am well aware of my own.’
‘Well, save the psychoanalysis. You’re a body doctor, don’t poke around in my brain.’
Hannibal grinned and relaxed into his cooking, enjoying the soft weight of Will’s appreciative gaze. It felt like he’d barely begun by the time he was plating up, arranging green beans like stripes of paint on a canvas. Will would laugh at the pretentiousness of it all if it wasn’t so captivating.
‘Bon appetit.’ He murmured smugly as he pushed Will’s plate toward him.
He couldn’t help the throaty little moan that escaped him as he took the first bite, his eyes fluttering closed in pleasure. Will was eating like a man starved, trying to remain composed but taking far bigger bites than necessary.
‘Oh my god, this is so fucking good.’
‘Language, Will.’ Hannibal said with a little smirk, glad he’d been sitting down already. That whimper had made his stomach somersault.
Will rolled his eyes fondly.
‘You gonna let me swear in the bedroom?’
Hannibal grinned wide and toothy, his fangs begging for Will’s neck between them.
‘You don’t have to sleep with me, darling.’
‘I know, darling.’ Will bit his lip and looked Hannibal up and down. ‘But being a rentboy doesn’t mean I can’t have sex on my own time. I like you.’ Their eyes met with searing heat. ‘And I want you.’
Hannibal had to breathe deeply and look back down at his plate to stop himself ravishing Will right there and then, throwing him down against the table and ripping his clothes off. His restraint was wearing thin.
‘Do you want me?’ Will asked sweetly, letting his fork linger against his lips, dipping his tongue out to lick it seductively.
‘Desperately.’ Hannibal breathed, fist tightening around his cutlery.
‘Washing up can wait then, can’t it?’ Will continued just as innocently, pushing his now empty plate away from him and smirking cheekily.
‘For you, yes.’ Hannibal stood, sauntering around to his boy’s chair and circling his arms around that gorgeous little waist.
Will stood, pressing Hannibal against the kitchen island and sliding between his legs, pleased to feel their matching hardness and grinding them ever so lightly together.
‘Mmmph, you’re a big boy, aren’t you?’ Will licked his lips provocatively and rubbed slightly more firmly against the older man.
Hannibal ran a hand through Will’s curls, leaving a trail of open mouthed kisses behind his ear, down his neck, following the line of the taut tendon there.
‘Do you like that?’ Hannibal crooned, nibbling Will’s earlobe as he moaned gently.
‘Uhuh-‘ Will hummed, wriggling a hand between them and tracing the sizeable bulge that was rapidly forming in Hannibal’s slacks. He moaned like it was him who was being touched, he felt it twitch and swell, tipping his head back to bare his neck and let the older man lave it with his tongue.
‘God, you’re massive.’ Will let out a startled little gasp that turned into a bitten off moan as Hannibal pressed his hips forward.
‘Do you keep saying that because you’re excited, or because you’re nervous?’ Hannibal teased, still sucking bruises into the soft skin of Will’s neck.
Will met Hannibal’s eyes in challenge, smirking and running his tongue along his teeth.
‘I want you.’ He pressed their bodies flush together. ‘Please.’
As soon as he saw those beseeching doe eyes he knew he was lost. He grabbed Will by the waist and carried him upstairs, already drowning in the feeling of Will’s legs wrapped around his back, holding the weight of him in his palms.
He threw him onto the bed, taking a moment to appreciate the beautiful boy beneath him, curls splayed in a halo around his head, shirt shucked up to reveal one pink, pert nipple, the tent of his jeans obscene.
‘Hurry.’ Will pouted, shocking the older man out of his reverie and barely having time to think before he was on him. Hands everywhere, one tucked under his shirt, holding the arch of his back up, one pulling gently on his curls for no particular reason other than to remind him he was there. As if he could forget, with those lips around one of his nipples, suckling, tongue flicking, so much but nowhere near enough.
‘Aaah-‘ Will squirmed, trying to pull Hannibal flat against him with his legs around his waist.
‘Needy boy.’ He teased, finally kissing those plush lips and grinding the full length of their bodies together.
‘Aungh- Uh-‘
‘Oh darling, you make the loveliest noises.’
‘Mnh- fuck off-‘
‘But I’m not done here yet. I’m barely getting started.’ Hannibal ducked down and kissed a line up Will’s torso, peeling the vest up as he went and finally getting it over his head. After a quick bite to each nipple, he ripped his own shirt off and felt skin on skin for the first time.
‘Oh, jesus.’ Will murmured as he saw Hannibal’s chest: firm, furry, layers of soft over hard muscle. He couldn’t stop ogling the most gorgeous tits he’d ever seen; he was sure they’d bounce if he was fucked hard enough.
‘You’re divine.’ Hannibal whispered, kissing him reverently.
‘Then worship me.’ Will smirked, his fingers scrabbling with the older man’s belt buckle, backing off to enjoy handfuls of arse once Hannibal began to undress himself.
‘What do you need, darling?’
Will nuzzled into Hannibal’s neck desperately, licking and kissing and sucking as he whispered:
‘Fuck me, please, Hannibal, want your cock-‘ Will hiccuped, choking on his words as the older man began to palm his bulge through his jeans.
‘Eager little thing.’ Hannibal murmured seductively, sucking the erogenous spot just below his ear, chuckling when it made Will gasp and scrabble with Hannibal’s underwear even more desperately.
‘Easy, darling.’ Hannibal pulled away and rubbed soothing circles against Will’s flanks, undoing his jeans slowly. ‘You need preparing.’
Will pouted and tried to drag Hannibal back down on top of him.
‘I thought I was working tonight, I’m prepped already.’
His frown deepened at Hannibal’s smug grin.
‘You haven’t seen me yet, darling, though I admire your confidence.’
Will’s breath caught, wanting to roll his eyes but suddenly reminded of just how large the hot length pressed against his thigh was.
‘How big?’ He whispered, eyes wide.
Hannibal didn’t reply, merely kneeling back onto his ankles and peeling the underwear from his body maddeningly slowly, eyes watching for Will’s reaction hungrily.
‘Fuck.’ Will breathed, going silent only to repeat another little awe struck ‘Fuck.’ as Hannibal gave himself a few languid strokes.
As a hooker, Will had seen some cocks in his day. Granted, the type of blokes that hired him were usually the kind that were compensating, but he’d had a few nice ones over the years. But nothing like this. Nothing as gorgeous as this. It looked at least ten inches, thick as anything, foreskin gliding back and forth to reveal a wet, pink tip as Hannibal pumped it slowly. It was so veiny that it was practically ribbed, throbbing angrily and eagerly as it drooled smears of precum.
‘Do you want me to prep you again, darling?’ Hannibal murmured, smirking at Will’s mute giddiness.
When he tried to reply, his voice broke and he couldn’t help the blush that burned his face.
‘Y-yeah. Might need it.’ He bit his lip, unsure as to why he suddenly felt like a demure virgin, nervous and timid.
Hannibal smiled in approval, leaning back down and kissing Will gently, hot with promise, as he pulled the boy’s jeans and underwear down at once.
‘Ah-‘ Will grunted as his dick sprung free and plapped against his stomach, lying thickly there. He couldn’t help but feel embarrassed at the sight of their cocks side by side - Will not exactly small but so much smaller. He also couldn’t help how much it turned him on.
‘Gorgeous little thing.’ Hannibal murmured, kissing and suckling his way down Will’s chest. ‘Perfect boy. I could fit you on my tongue, couldn’t I, angel?’
Will mewled in distress as Hannibal’s hot mouth bypassed his groin, needing friction there like he needed air.
‘Shh, shh, don’t worry, sweetheart.’ Hannibal kissed his thighs soothingly, reaching for a pillow. ‘Can you raise your hips for me? Good boy.’ He purred the praise as he slipped the cushion under the small of Will’s back, guiding his legs upwards.
‘Such a good boy.’ Hannibal murmured, stroking a featherlight finger over the stretched pink ring of Will’s asshole, groaning in sympathy with his boy’s whimper.
‘Please- God, Hannibal, now-‘ Will reached a hand down, removing the plug that had been holding him open and grunting as he did so.
Hannibal’s eyes went black with hunger at the sight of the little winking muscle, and barely had a thought before he’d buried his tongue in it.
‘Augh- Fuuuuuck!’ Will made a sound like he’d been winded and his hips pushed back against Hannibal’s face instinctually. No one had ever - he’d never felt this before. It was overwhelming, the slick tongue massaging him, deep, grumbling moans vibrating through him, and when one of Hannibal’s fangs caught his rim, he shrieked and wrapped his thighs tight around Hannibal’s neck to keep that tongue there.
After one last lingering suck, Hannibal sat up, chin wet and grinning like the cat that had got the cream.
‘Your taste is something I could easily get addicted to.’ He purred, kissing Will deeply, licking into his mouth as he gathered the precum from his cock, slicking his fingers with it.
‘Can you taste yourself?’ He gasped into Will’s mouth, ‘Can you taste yourself on my tongue?’
‘Y-yeah-‘ Will gasped, feeling the thick, wet fingers nudge their way into him. ‘Oh God-‘
‘Breathe, darling. You’re already so open for me.’ Hannibal’s head was now limp in the crook of Will’s neck, as if the feeling of that clenching heat around his fingers was enough to overwhelm him.
‘I am, I am, I’m ready-‘ Will garbled, face scrunched up in pleasure and frustration as Hannibal’s scissoring fingers avoided his prostate too perfectly for it to be accidental.
‘Yes?’ Hannibal breathed.
‘God, yes, please!’ He whined as the fingers were removed but spread his legs as far as they could reach.
Hannibal grabbed a condom from the pocket of Will’s discarded jeans, hastily rolling it on and groaning at his own touch. He shushed and gentled Will like a wild puppy, kneading his thigh to placate him as he slicked his cock with lube, warming it between his fingers. He felt like he was watching himself from outside of his own body, watching himself line himself up and thumb the tip of his cock into that perfect, pink, winking, hole.
A toothy grin broke out across his face, eyes rolling back at the little choked noises Will was making, just teasing him with his tip.
‘Haaaanibal.’ Will whined, a Southern drawl surfacing as he pouted and driving Hannibal crazy.
‘Say it again.’ He breathed huskily. ‘Beg for me.’
This Will was good at - he’d had a lot of practice making men feel powerful, making them feel like they had a desperate slut beside themselves for their cocks. But there was more of an awareness with Hannibal - they both knew Will was in control of himself, putting on a little show for the other man, and it was that which seemed to turn Hannibal on. They were equals, and they were completely in each other’s power.
‘Please, please, Haaanibal. Stop teasing me - it hurts, it hurts not to have you in me.’
‘Oh, baby, it hurts?’ Hannibal kept rubbing his cockhead along the cleft of Will’s ass, never quite letting it slip in, torturing himself as much as the other.
‘Y-Yeah– feels so empty- aches-’
‘I’m going to make it better, sweetheart, don’t worry.’ Hannibal kissed Will gently and held his jaw, reassuring him as he began to nudge his way inside.
He had to stifle his groans by biting the younger man’s neck, his grip tightening on his hips and his eyes squeezed shut in an effort not to immediately lose control.
‘Ah, fuck- fuck yes- all the way in, cmon sugar, for me-’
Hannibal nodded mutely into the crook of Will’s neck, practically winded by the silky slick pressure gliding up his shaft as he worked it into Will’s perfect little hole. It was bliss incarnate, and if Will kept making those delicious little sounds it would be over far too fast.
As soon as he’d bottomed out, Hannibal propped himself up and wrapped a hand around Will’s throat - not choking, but reminding him he was there.
‘Hush, darling, please. You sound far too good.’
He felt the little cut off gurgling sound in Will’s throat, and felt where he squeezed it into silence, abruptly pistoning his hips back and forcing himself deeper into that hot channel that anyone had ever been.
‘Ung-’ Will grunted, a hand moving to wrap around his own throat on top of Hannibal’s, not to loosen it but to encourage a little more pressure. Hannibal was only too happy to oblige.
With one hand pressing fingertip bruises into a milky thigh, and the other securely around his boy’s throat, Hannibal leant back and began to fuck. Half pounding Will back into the headboard, half managing to pull him back down onto his cock over and over. And Will, Will let himself go limp, a glazed and blissed out look in his eyes, and a shocked little ‘O’ on his lips that let drool and a constant litany of whimpers past them. Tearing his eyes away from that vision of an expression, Hannibal almost whined when he saw Will’s hand pressed against his abdomen, feeling the very obvious bulge in his stomach that formed whenever Hannibal thrust in.
‘S-so deep.’ Will smirked as he followed Hannibal’s gaze, gently moving the older man’s hand from his neck to join the one on his stomach, and watching Hannibal’s eyes darken at the sensation. ‘You feel how deep you are?’
‘Yes.’
‘No one’s touched that part of me before. Just you. It’s just you that’s been that deep.’
Hannibal groaned and shoved his head back into the crook of Will’s neck, hips stuttering for a moment and biting desperately at the jut of his jawline.
‘I wish I could mark you, that deep, where no one else will ever reach.’ Hannibal murmured as he sped up his hips, his grip on Will’s thighs slipping from the building sweat between them.
‘Next time- ah- theeeere- oh! Next time maybe I’ll let you.’
‘Next time? Greedy boy.’
‘Ung- yeah- greedy- give it to me-’
Hannibal smirked at the growing incoherence, tilting his hips to batter Will’s prostate even deeper. That seemed to do it - after only a few thrusts, and a lot of noise, Will spilled between them with a strangled little gasp.
That image, combined with the clenching of Will’s channel around him and the way his nails scratched Hannibal’s back to draw blood made sure the older man was not far behind. With a grunt that was almost a roar, Hannibal thrust as deep as he could, knowing he was wearing a condom but instinctively trying to bury his seed in Will’s stomach. Will could feel the heat of it there, the twitching, and he mewled in overstimulation.
‘Shh, It’s okay baby. Just take it.’ Hannibal breathed, panting and limp, caging Will’s body in with the dead weight of his own.
After a few moments of panting, the older man finally found the strength to roll to the side, dick slipping out as he gathered the boy in his arms and brushed his sweat soaked curls from his face.
‘Are you alright?’
Will chuckled, voice breaking from its overuse. ‘Better than, cher.’
Hannibal pinked a little at the nickname, leaning in to press chaste little pecks all up the boy’s neck and behind his ears.
‘Will?’ He mumbled from between kisses.
‘Mm?’
‘I’m not taking you back to that street corner.’
Will giggled again, light and bright like bells.
‘I know, cher. I’ll be lucky if you let me leave this house again, won’t I?’
He was lucky he couldn’t see Hannibal’s eyes darken where his face was tucked under Will’s chin, and he couldn’t quite tell if he was joking when he replied:
‘Yes, darling. Very lucky indeed.’