Chapter Text
Will hoped Hannibal wouldn't notice almost as much as he hoped he would. For once, he wanted someone to know about him. Maybe it was how he let Hannibal know everything else, every detail of his mental horrors so fully. It only felt proper to give him the knowledge of his physical ones as well.
Hannibal accused him once of having White Coat Syndrome. It was true enough. Will avoided doctors as much as he could, and therapists in case. But not out of banal fear of a normal procedure. No, he was terrified of being discovered for who, or what, he was. He feared dissection chambers and torture for the sake of science. He had to keep himself guarded. There truly wasn't a better way for him to get by, not that he knew of.
Will was able to regenerate abnormally fast after injuries, healing himself rapidly. He didn't know why. His father had the same ability, and drilled into him that this wasn't something to let people know about. Will didn't have anyone to tell growing up anyways, but he always kept it to his chest.
He tried more, cutting fingers, and once a limb, all of which came back. He once helped his father remove a diseases piece of his liver, and watched a clean new one grow back.
Will didn't know why he was this way. Hannibal, in all his medical prowess, had never noticed, not that he was aware.
Not even after Will escaped Tobias Budge alive, and they embraced one another, having been so afraid that the other was dead. When Jack and the police left, it was just the two of them, still touching one another from moment to moment, glad the other was alive, neither knowing the secrets that kept them that way.
They returned to Hannibal's home. Will helped change the man's bandages, and he didn't ask how Will sustained no injuries. It didn't take long for the touches to linger more, and within an hour, they were curled gently in Hannibal's bed, minding his injuries as Will stroked them both to a wordless orgasm. Hannibal gave a small gasp of pain, which made Will finish almost too fast.
At worst, he expected Hannibal to become indignant and throw him out of bed. No. Worst, somehow, Hannibal would know from that and he would be ruined. Instead, he got a look like fire from the man.
Will was careful, so careful. But soon enough Hannibal was smacking Will's ass red before he fucked him hard, or letting Will ram himself down his throat. And with the way Hannibal looked those times, fierce, powerful and dominant, or with sweet pink lips, dripping with semen and spit, Will couldn't resist.
Hannibal tested him. He bit and clawed and smacked. They both had safe words, however, and Will never needed to use it. Skin was never broken and bruises didn't really form on him. The doctor must have chalked that to high iron and thought nothing of it, though rarely did anything that would cause bruising.
Besides the sex, they spent more and more time together. Will was getting into something closer to love. Which only made this all harder. Because now, Will saw him.
Will rang Hannibal’s doorbell and waited nervously, planning his next moves. He knew the truth. Hannibal was the ripper. He was not only eating his surgical trophies, he was feeding them to everybody else. He was a monster, hidden in plain sight. Will hardly knew where the confrontation would lead, but he knew he had to make it.
Hannibal opened the door with a smile, “Will. I didn't expect a visit, my dear. But please, come in, I have lunch near ready.”
Will closed his eyes. Lunch. His stomach growled, though he wished it would turn. He wanted to find it revolting. He knew Hannibal would know something was off soon enough, “What… what's for lunch?”
“Ah, prosciutto and cheese, with wine. I was-”
“Prosciutto.” Will looked to the side, “Of course.”
He knew Hannibal despised his rudeness, but he couldn't play longer. He brushed past him and walked quickly into the kitchen. He knew the answer now. Hannibal needed fresh meat, Will would give him fresh meat. It was the only way. He pulled a cleaver from Hannibal's knife stand, determined.
He turned and Hannibal punched him in the gut, then jammed his palm hard against his nose. There was a sickening crack. Will dropped the knife and stumbled back. Hannibal grabbed it up.
“Jesus Hannibal what the fuck?!” Will held his nose, putting some effort to healing it over.
“I am so sorry this had to be our path, Will,” Hannibal spoke, “The teacup-”
“I'm not trying to fucking kill you!” Will huffed and wiped blood from his face, “Just give me a damn moment, okay?”
Hannibal looked at Will, certain he had broken his nose, but it sat straight. Nor were his eyes blackened from the force. He frowned, “Please mind your language, Will.”
“Don't attack me and I will.” He spat, frustrated, “Hand me the knife.” Hannibal looked skeptical. Will huffed, “Please just listen to me. Neither of us… well, I don't want to fight you right now, just give me the knife and listen to me.”
Hannibal set the knife down. He was still studying Will's face, which was not bruised at all now from the impact. He knew Will didn't bruise easily, but this was exceptional. His nose had stopped bleeding very quickly.
Will took a slow breath, “I… I know who you are. What you are. And you… I have another way. I'm not going to turn you in to Jack, but I can't allow you to keep going the way you are. I can't have that on my conscience.”
He took another breath and broke his arm. Hannibal gave a soft noise. Will didn't know what to make of it, just trying to mentally block out the pain and physically stall the healing. He located the break and took the cleaver, bringing it down once, then again, then once more.
Hannibal was shouting at him but Will couldn't focus on him. He'd done small digits before but an arm was something else. He finished, and the skin began to heal over the stub.
He set the arm down, then looked up at Hannibal. He was silent now, staring at Will's growing arm. It was already starting to return, but came about slowly. Will didn't care. Hannibal's mouth was slightly agape at the sight. Will looked away.
Hannibal wouldn't spill his secret, they both had far too much on the other one, far too much to risk.
“So. So uh, you don't have to keep killing them. Here's your meat. I don't care how much I have to do it.”
Hannibal moved over quickly, grabbing his amputated arm, “Will, this is impossible. This is completely against all my knowledge of man. This-”
“Please.” Will looked down uncomfortably, “Just. Take the meat.”
“This is amazing. You're beyond a medical marvel. May I…” he grabbed for the cleaver.
Will sighed, “Here. Let me. I can't say I'm eager to hand you a meat cleaver after some recent revelations.”
He took it and sliced higher up on his arm, rolling his sleeve more for it. Blood welled, but the wound healed quick. Hannibal touched at it, which gave Will a strange feeling he didn't want to analyze.
“Fascinating.” He whispered, “Absolutely fascinating. Now, if you were beheaded or cut in half…”
“I don't know and you're not going to try.” Will stepped back, deciding a quick lie, “Alana knows I'm here visiting you.”
Hannibal looked up and smiled at Will, “Darling, of course I won't hurt you. You're magnificent. How could I ever dream of killing you now?”
“...now.” Will said plainly.
“There was no active plan. But you must know, with my lifestyle, there must be contingency plans in place.” Hannibal said, still stroking at his arm, fascinated.
Will sighed, but he understood completely why he would. He gave a nod, “Let's just eat. It, uh, wears me out a bit.”
Hannibal nodded, “Should I refrigerate this?” He touched the severed arm gently.
“You know more about preparing human to eat than I do.” Will raised an eyebrow.
Hannibal smiled and gave Will's cheek an affectionate pat before taking the arm downstairs. Will sat. It was almost back at the wrist now. He sighed. This may have all been a mistake.
Hannibal returned, pulling out cheese, prosciutto and grapes for Will, then pouring him water, wine for himself. He bit his lip, “Eat this now, I'll make something more hearty for dinner, if you'll stay tonight.”
Will thought for a moment before nodding. Hannibal sat, “I assume you have your questions as well. Here's an idea. I answer one of yours, you answer mine.”
Will nodded, “Quid pro quo.”
“Why are you this way?”
“Genetics, I guess.” He said through a mouthful of cheese, “My dad was the same. So. Uh. How many people have you killed?”
Hannibal looked to the side, thinking. Eventually he answered, “Forty one.
Will cupped his face in his hand, “Jesus Christ Hannibal…”
“Many of them were not in the states. Most of them are completely untraceable to me.” Hannibal's face shifted minutely, “Piercings?”
“Yeah. Yeah I actually had like, six earrings and a lip ring in high school. It was… really bad.” He laughed, “I… make it heal. If I pressed for it to heal over the jewelry, my skin would at least try to.”
Hannibal nodded, “Fascinating… Have you sustained damage to any organs?”
“Never myself. But I know they'll heal back. If…” Will closed his eyes, taking a slow breath, “If you want to eat my organs, that can be arranged. Now, you went twice.”
Hannibal didn't seem to care. He was looking at Will ravenously. Will had never felt so objectified before. He was literally a meal to the man before him. It was strange. He didn't know if he minded it the way he should.
“So…” Will's mouth felt dry, “You eat all of them?”
“I eat what I can of who I can, when I am able.” He nodded.
“What… why? When did you start?”
Something flashed across Hannibal's maroon eyes. He pursed his lips and looked away, “That's nearly three. I started when I was young.” He didn't ask Will a question. It was readily apparent that their game was over. Will wasn't going to press.
Hannibal sat up, “Eat more, please, I'll start on a soup. I'll make use of your meat while it's fresh, it would be rude not to.”
Will laughed. Hannibal was something else entirely. “Of course it would.”
It was probably the best meal Will had ever eaten. Definitely the best stew he'd had. He ate in near silence, only managing to not slurp at the broth. There was really something else to it when he knew he was dining on his own flesh. He had once before, but it was far from a preparation like this, no silverware or tablecloths. He finished his first bowl, mopped the broth with bread, before grabbing a second and sitting down.
“Sorry.” He smiled sheepishly at Hannibal, “Its… really good. And I told you, something large like an arm can be pretty tiring. But it's amazing. Y'know I've only eaten from myself once before.”
Hannibal tilted his head, “Have you?”
“Yeah. I was, uh, out deep sea fishing on my own. I was young and stupid and underprepared. It's easy to feel invincible in your 20’s. Even easier when you actually are. I didn't pack enough food. Fish had been biting near shore, so I just assumed I'd catch some, best not get weighed down with anything extra. Well… nothing was biting, I ended up lost, and… I mean, you can assume where this is going. I don't know how much I actually helped myself but I ate slices off my leg for a day or two before I caught anything.”
Hannibal smiled, fascinated by his story. He knew he could now tell Will about his first cannibalism. But he wasn't going to. He gave a nod, “People will do things when they're hungry. True hunger is a test of our limits.”
Will decided to prod, “What's the most hungry you've been?”
Hannibal met his eyes, but there was no warmth, “I was very young. And very cold.”
He said no more, but took his stew to the kitchen unfinished. Will had never seen Hannibal not savor his own cooking. He felt bad about pressing, but he couldn't help himself. He'd opened all his secrets to Hannibal now. It was only fair to be able to ask a few questions of his own.
Hannibal sat down, pouring himself another glass of wine, “I don't kill for the sake of harvesting human flesh. This isn't a permanent solution, Will.”
Will frowned, “What can I do then?”
“I'll let you know when the time comes.” Hannibal sighed.
Will had thought they were fighting, but Hannibal did not have sex with him when they were. That evening, after the dishes were cleaned, Hannibal couldn't keep his hands off Will. It wasn't just a new fascination with his body, but a general excitement. He kissed and touched and stroked, even while they were just sitting by the fire and chatting.
“Do you want to top or bottom tonight?” Hannibal muttered in his ear.
“Can I top?” Will moved his hand down to touch at Hannibal's lower back. Hannibal kissed him, hungry for it.
Hannibal nodded and pulled Will's shirt off, looking his chest over. Will stilled, then huffed and crossed his arms over his chest, “Hannibal. Stop.”
Hannibal blinked.
“Don't play dumb. You've been weird about my body since I told you. You're literally looking at me like I'm meat.” A blushed crept up Will's face. He wouldn't admit it was slightly intriguing.
“You, on the other hand, seem to choose to ignore my… proclivities.”
“I'm not ignoring them it's just not something that matters with our sex life. You're not going to kill me, and even if you were, I really don't know if you could. And we are not going to test that. When you… get… whatever sets you off for murder, it will be a conversation then. Until, I'm not going to be weird about it. You could try to do the same.”
Hannibal moved into Will's lap and kissed him slowly, more patiently before looking him in the eyes, “I have always found you amazing. Your mind is a beautiful thing, something capable, all along, of understanding me. To know your body is equally gifted… equally perfect to accommodate me. It's enthralling.”
Will smiled a little, blushing more, mumbling “Get the lube.”
Hannibal got up. Will stripped himself and stroked his erection more. Hannibal saw him as perfect. Not a freak. A bit of a meal. But perfect.
Hannibal returned, nude as well. Will loved his body. It was muscular, toned, and gorgeous. He pulled Hannibal in and kissed him. Hannibal grabbed his sides and rubbed his chest. It was bizzare, knowing someone was kissing you and thinking about your organs.
Will pushed Hannibal flat on the couch and stroked up his thigh, then pumped him and teased his hole. “I'm surprised.” He kissed his hips, “You're acting so dominant, I'm really shocked you don't want to top tonight.”
Hannibal smiled and curled a hand on Will's hair, “You know as well as I, being the penetrative partner is not necessarily equivalent to dominance, nor the other way around. And I've decided I may as well, given how much of you I've had inside me today.”
Will met his eyes and shuddered. Hannibal could do deadly things with his words. Will was speechless. He smiled and buried himself, licking at Hannibal's rim, pressing his nose into his sac, trying to drown himself in Hannibal. He grabbed Will's hair, making a pleased noise, lifting hips up.
Will prodded his tongue in, sucking greedily, grabbing at the globes of his ass.
“Eager.” Hannibal said, light teasing in his tone.
Will moaned against his hole and prodded a bit of his thumb in. Then he pulled back, kissing his thighs greedily and putting lube on his fingers. He opened Hannibal quickly.
Hannibal decided he was ready before Will was sure. He shoved him down, flipping their positions, and angled himself above Will, grabbing the man's fat cock and pushing it into himself.
“Condom!” Will gasped out.
Hannibal smiled and continued his movement, “I drank your blood and dined on your flesh tonight, Will. I don't find one necessary.”
Will gasped as Hannibal started rolling his hips. He bucked up slightly, just overcome with attraction.
Hannibal's hand wandered up soon enough, and closed around Will's throat. Will closed his eyes and gasped. Hannibal choked him slightly, then released him, “Beautiful. Gorgeous.”
He began to stroke at Will's chest and stomach, outlining his organs as he rode. Will moaned louder, “Fuck… pervert.”
Hannibal grabbed hard at one. Will arched in pain and pleasure, “Hannibal!”
Hannibal smirked and dipped his head. He started gently gnawing at Will's shoulder. Will couldn't take it anymore. He grabbed his hips and pistoned in, manipulating Hannibal's body to bounce back against him.
Hannibal bit hard, hard, tearing through flesh and muscle. Will spilled inside him with a gasp.
Hannibal sat up, pleased with himself, chewing on Will's meat. He stroked himself and rocked slowly as he did, then came on Will's chest as he swallowed.
Will panted, already healing back. He jerked Hannibal to him and kissed him deeply, tasting himself. He couldn't deny how erotic it was to him. He knew for sure Hannibal felt the same.
He broke the kiss, looking at Hannibal, coming down from the high, “We… are really going to have to have some conversations.”
Hannibal nodded, “Of course. Your abilities do not change your consent. I apologise if biting you was too far. The moment seized me.”
“Hannibal I loved it.” He smiled, “But… I really appreciate that. But we're probably going to have to find a line so that there's no disemboweling during sex.”
“Would that be your line?” Hannibal tilted his head, “Because the mess can be handled.”
“Jesus…” Will muttered, then bit his lip, “It wouldn't… necessarily.”
Hannibal smiled wickedly.