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Title: Happiness is in Us
By: angstytimelord
Pairing: Hannibal Lecter/Will Graham
Fandom: Hannibal
Rating: PG-13
Table: Holiday Non-Bingo, tv_universe
Prompt: 5, Quote
Author's Note: Sequel to "A Holiday Kiss."
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.

***

Will leaned back against the soft couch cushions, feeling a glow of happiness.

His gifts for Hannibal had seemingly been a rousing success. The other man truly seemed to appreciate what Will had spent so much time choosing so carefully.

He had gotten Hannibal three gifts; the first had been a beautiful silk Hermes tie, one that he'd picked out carefully, not wanting to get something that didn't match Hannibal's sartorial style.

When Hannibal had opened the box that it was in, his dark eyes had lit up with pleasure, so Will had known that the gift was a success. His second gift to the other man had been a gorgeous gold fountain pen; Hannibal had hugged Will when he'd opened that one and said that he had wanted one.

His last gift had been the most expensive one; he'd gotten Hannibal a gold watch fob, and had it engraved with the words "Thank you for being a friend," along with his initials.

It had seemed a bit extravagant at first, but he had wanted Hannibal to know how much their friendship meant to him. And he'd wanted to point the way to more than friendship.

Will hoped that last gift would tell Hannibal how he felt.

Hannibal's own gifts to him had been lovely. The other man had given him a beautiful cashmere scarf in a shade of blue that matched his eyes, a gift that Will knew he would treasure.

He had also given Will a beautiful journal with a soft velvet cover, smiling as he told Will that perhaps writing down some of his dreams would help them to be interpreted more accurately.

Hannibal's next gift to him had made them both laugh; he had gotten Will a bottle of Aramis cologne. Will couldn't hold back his laughter as he reminded Hannibal of the first time they had met, when he had told Will that he needed to stop wearing aftershave that smelled as though it had a ship on the bottle.

"No worries of that happening again," Will told him now, closing his eyes as he inhaled the fragrance of the cologne. "I'll never wear Old Spice again. Thank you, Hannibal."

Hannibal reached for one last box, a small, slender one that he had wrapped in silver paper. "This is the last one, Will. It's .... a rather special gift."

Will took the box from him, wondering what could be inside.

As he carefully untied the red ribbon and spread back the paper, then opened the box, Will's blue eyes widened, and a soft gasp came from his throat.

The box contained a gorgeous watch, with what appeared to be sparkling gemstones on the band in a rainbow prism of color. Will lifted his gaze to Hannibal's, stunned by the gift.

Hannibal was smiling at him, a warm, genuine smile that reached his eyes. He took Will's hand, lacing their fingers. "It seems that my gift has overwhelmed you a bit, Will. I didn't mean for it to do that. I simply wanted to get you something very special, something that shows my regard for you."

"It's beautiful, Hannibal," Will said with sincerity, lifting the watch out of the box with a shaking hand. He slid it onto his slender wrist, turning his arm this way and that, admiring the jewels.

"The rainbow symbolizes the myriad ways that you have enhanced my life, Will," Hannibal said softly. "And my myriad feelings for you. As well as, I hope, your own for me."

Will gasped again, his gaze locking with Hannibal's once more.

Hannibal did have feelings for him. This was proof of it, incontrovertible proof. Hannibal wouldn't be saying these words if there wasn't more than friendship between them.

He was speaking again, his voice very soft. Will concentrated on the words that the other man was saying, taking them in, letting them permeate his being right down to his soul.

"There is a saying that I believe in, Will." Hannibal's voice was soft, almost mesmerizing. "It goes, 'Happiness is not in things, it is in us.' I truly believe that. I want you to be able to look at this watch on your arm and remember that your own happiness is not in the things around you. It is within yourself."

"And it's also within the people who I care about the most," Will said, his own voice barely a whisper. He dared to move his hand, to place it on Hannibal's.

The other man turned his hand over and captured Will's fingers with his for just a moment; then his hand moved up to cup the back of Will's neck and bring him closer.

Was this really going to happen? Was Hannibal going to .... kiss him?

It didn't seem real. It didn't seem possible. And yet, Hannibal was drawing him closer; in only a matter of seconds, their lips would meet in their very first kiss.

Will closed his eyes, holding his breath. He could hardly believe this was happening; somehow, it didn't seem possible. This was proving the words of that saying Hannibal had quoted to be true.

Happiness wasn't in the things that he and Hannibal had given each other; it was in the two of them, in their hearts and souls, in the feelings that had been mounting within themselves and that were finally being set free. This kiss was his happiness, locked within him for so long, and now being let out.

When Hannibal's lips met his, Will forgot where he was, forgot everything except the fact that Hannibal was kissing him, at long last. He wrapped his arms around the other man's neck, pulling him closer.

This wasn't just happiness; this was pure and utter bliss. This was all he had ever wanted, all that he'd dreamed a kiss could be, and more.

His happiness was here, in this kiss, in this single shining moment.

He needed nothing more than this to be utterly happy for the rest of his life.

***