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Title: A New Era
By: angstytimelord
Pairing: Hannibal Lecter/Will Graham
Fandom: Hannibal
Rating: PG-13
Author's Note: Sequel to "Where His Heart Resides."
Disclaimer: This is entirely a product of my own imagination, and I make no profit from it. I do not own the lovely Hannibal Lecter or Will Graham, unfortunately, just borrowing them for a while. Please do not sue.

***

It was the end of one era, and the beginning of another.

Hannibal smiled as he poured two glasses of wine; he would be done here in the kitchen in just a few minutes, and then he and Will could sit down to dinner.

He hadn't realized just how pleasant it would be to have someone to cook for, someone to eat dinner with, someone to keep him company at night.

Not to mention that it was extremely pleasant to have a lover in his bed every night -- especially a lover that he actually, well, loved. He didn't know when this emotion had become the guiding aspect of his life, but somehow, it had, and he didn't regret it at all.

He was going to change his life now that Will was a part of it, now that his young lover was living with him. He wouldn't change every aspect, but some things had to stop.

There would be no more killing. As hard as it would be to stop doing what had become second nature to him, Hannibal knew that he couldn't continue.

It would be far too easy to slip up, and for Will to find out.

If Will found out, then their new life would stop in an instant. Not only would his boyfriend back away from his in disgust, but he would probably find himself behind bars.

Will had far too developed a sense of morality to let him go free if he knew that he was the Chesapeake Ripper. There was no way his killings could go on.

If he wanted a life with Will, so much that he was used to doing had to come to a complete halt. It wouldn't be easy for him, but he would do it. Will was worth it, Hannibal told himself. The satisfaction he felt when he was close to Will would be his recompense, and he was sure that it would be enough.

He would start a new life, and he would be happy in it. He would stop his unusual practices in cuisine, and be like .... well, like a normal person.

He'd never attempted to do that, not in his entire life. But he wanted to do so now. For Will. For this new era they were starting as a couple, this new life that they were creating together.

This was what he wanted, more than he had ever wanted anything. He wanted to take a few steps back from the person he had been, and lean how to fit into his new role, into the person he would become. He wanted to let Will help him with that, for their relationship to be a true partnership.

Will could never be what he was. There was no way that he could bring his lover into the darkness of his world, not unless he wanted to destroy everything that Will was.

That wasn't what he wanted at all. He didn't want to sully Will in any way; he wanted this young man to remain the pure, sparkling diamond that he was. Will shouldn't have to change.

Hannibal would be the one who would change. He was ready for it. He could do it.

It wasn't going to be easy, but he would make the effort -- and he would stick to it. For Will. For their relationship. For the future that they would build together.

He had accepted that he loved Will, and that he wanted this young man to be by his side forever. He didn't want to lose Will,and keeping him meant making some changes in himself.

Those changes would usher in a new era of his life, one that he had never thought he could live, but one that he was ready to embrace. The old instincts would be hard to push away, but he would take things one day at a time, and step by step, he would become the man that Will would want him to be.

The steaks he had broiled were done. Hannibal carefully arranged them on two plates, then put the plates on a tray with the glasses of wine and picked it up.

Will was waiting for him in the dining room, where Hannibal had told him to stay. Tonight, they would have dinner, then they would go upstairs and make love.

Yes, the beginning of a new era. One that he was quite looking forward to.

***