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Title: Needles and Pins
By: angstytimelord
Pairing: Hannibal Lecter/Will Graham
Fandom: Hannibal
Rating: PG-13
Table: 8, 50ficlets
Prompt: 17, Faith
Author's Note: This is a 50-ficlet AU series for Will/Hannibal. In this universe, the two of them are deeply in love with each other, though neither knows quite how to bring that love out into the open.
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. soar

***

That first date had definitely gone well.

Hannibal wanted nothing more than to open the door again and call Will back inside, to invite him in for a nightcap and see how the rest of the evening progressed. But somehow, that didn't feel right. That would be moving far quickly.

No, the best thing to do was to let Will go home, for the both of them to think back over the evening they'd spent together and evaluate it. If Will wanted to back off, now was his chance. If he didn't want this burgeoning relationship to continue, he could stop it here.

The next time Hannibal asked him out -- and there would be a next time -- he would have the ability to refuse, and to walk away if he so chose.

Of course, they would still be friends, even if Will didn't want them to be anything more. Hannibal couldn't begin to imagine what his life would be like without Will in it; when he tried to think about that life, all he could see was an empty, desolate landscape.

Just having Will as friend was better than not having him there at all.

Why was he thinking like this? Hannibal asked himself, a frown creasing his brow. There was no reason for him to feel as though Will wouldn't want this to continue. Tonight had been marvelous. Will surely had to feel the same.

Nothing had gone wrong. Will had obviously enjoyed the evening -- and Hannibal couldn't doubt how he had responded to that goodnight kiss. It had been gentle, loving, and every bit as romantic as Hannibal had hoped it would be. It had been .... perfect.

He had to have faith that Will wanted this to continue just as much as he did. If he didn't, then they would be doomed before they had even started.

He wasn't going to think negatively. He would only allow himself positive thoughts when it came to Will and what was starting to develop between them. It might sound terribly like a pep talk, but he couldn't deny that he needed that positivity.

Until he saw Will again and could talk to him, he would be on needles and pins with worry.

How did Will feel about that kiss? He had definitely responded to it; Hannibal had thought that he could sense desire coming from the other man, but he wasn't sure if his was just a momentary physical need, or something more emotional.

He was sure that Will wanted him just as badly as he wanted Will -- but he couldn't let himself fully believe that until he had heard the words from Will's lips. Not until they had talked, and he knew the truth of what the younger man was feeling.

He wouldn't let himself believe it completely until then -- but he would hope. He would have faith. And he would try his best to make that hope become a reality.

When would he be able to talk to Will again? Obviously, not until tomorrow -- and even then, they didn't have a session scheduled. That wasn't for another two days. Hannibal was sure that he would be running up and down the walls by then.

He didn't want to wait two more entire days to talk to Will.

Waiting for anything had never been one of his strengths. He was far too impatient -- but he would have to overcome that fault now. He couldn't let himself jump the gun; he didn't want Will to feel as though he was being pushed into anything.

But waiting was so hard, Hannibal thought with an inward groan. He wanted this waiting game to be over with, to know where he and Will stood.

It would be hard to wait to find out the answer to that question, but he could do it. There was no reason to rush Will; if he did, then the young man might take fright and skitter back into the shadows where he always hid himself.

That was the last thing Hannibal wanted. Will was too beautiful to hide in those shadows; he deserved to be out in the open, where everyone could admire him and know him for the wonderful person he was. It was time for him to stop hiding.

And it was time for Hannibal to let him know just how he felt.

That thought was more than a little frightening; he wasn't sure if he was ready to face possible rejection. But he couldn't keep his feelings hidden forever.

He had to have faith that he wouldn't face any kind of rejection, that Will's feelings mirrored his own. If they didn't, then he would have to learn to live with that fact, and try to be thankful that Will at least saw him as friend, if nothing more.

But he could hope that Will wanted them to be much more than friends, just as he did. He had to hold on to his faith that Will and he were made for each other, that they were somehow destined to be together. That faith was what had brought him to this point.

Hannibal let out his breath slowly, resisting the urge to look outside. Instead, he turned towards the stairs; he felt the need for a hot, relaxing shower.

He was sure that thoughts of Will would keep him in the shower for a long time.

***