Title: Journey of Discovery
By: angstytimelord
Pairing: Will Graham/Sherlock Holmes
Fandoms: Hannibal/Sherlock
Rating: PG-13
Table: 9, 50ficlets
Prompt: 12, Discovery
Disclaimer: This is entirely a product of my own imagination, and I make no profit from it. I do not own the lovely Will Graham or Sherlock Holmes, unfortunately, just borrowing them for a while. Please do not sue.

***

Sherlock awakened slowly, squinting as he opened his eyes.

It felt wonderful to lie here with Will in his arms, their bodies spooning together, his arms around his boyfriend's waist, his face buried in Will's soft dark curls.

Sherlock closed his eyes, inhaling deeply, feeling completely sated and happy. He couldn't recall ever waking up with such a feeling of optimism in his heart.

It was all due to Will, and their discovery of each other's bodies last night, he told himself, smiling as he nuzzled his cheek against the other man's bare shoulder. Last night had been the most incredible night of his life; so many barriers had been broken down, so many insecurities obliterated.

Sherlock knew that he would never again be nervous about being naked in front of Will; he had seen the admiration and desire in the younger man's eyes.

He knew that Will desired and loved him; he would carry that knowledge in his heart for the rest of his life. It would warm him, bolster him, give him confidence when he needed it.

Just knowing that Will loved him made his heart soar.

Will not only loved him, but trusted him, as well. He had known that from the moment that the other man had taken his hand and led him into their bedroom.

He trusted Will, as well. He trusted this man with everything that he was and ever would be, with his body, his heart, his soul, his very life. Yes, he had been nervous about turning over that trust when they had been disrobing in front of each other last night, but that hadn't lasted long.

He had known that this was what he wanted to do, what he needed to do. He'd known that it was the right thing for them, the next step.

It had been a step that he'd been glad to take.

Will was everything he had ever wanted or needed, all rolled into one wonderful man. Sherlock only hoped that he was the same for Will.

Knowing that Will loved him and wanted him had opened up his world, had made him feel that he could do anything. It was amazing how being in love could transform him.

How was it possible to love someone so much, when for most of his life, he had thought that love wasn't something he would ever need? He had been so wrong about that. Love didn't make him weak, not at all. It strengthened him, gave him confidence and hope for the future.

He no longer had to look at the world as being a dark and lonely place, not with Will by his side. He was no longer alone, no longer always on the outside looking in.

He'd never have to feel as though he was always turned away, as though he didn't fit in. Now he had someone who loved him, someone who wanted to be with him.

Love had always seemed as though it was meant for other people, never for him. He'd often wondered just how it felt to fall in love, and if it was a feeling that he would even want to experience. Now that he knew what it was like, he almost wished that he had discovered it sooner.

But no, Sherlock told himself. If he had discovered love sooner than he had, then it wouldn't have been his wonderful Will who he'd fallen for.

If he had met someone else and discovered love sooner, he wouldn't even have met Will. And he probably never would have known what real love was.

He was sure that he could never love anyone else in the way that he loved Will. It simply wasn't possible to feel this much for another person.

And if anything about his meeting with Will had been different, they might never have discovered that they harbored these feeling for each other, and never acted on them.

Not having Will in his life would be a tragedy of monumental proportions.

Discovering love had been a revelation for him, and he was sure that it had been the same for Will. But discovering each other's bodies was something he hadn't planned on.

Well, he'd known that it was going to happen sometime -- he just hadn't thought that it would be so soon. Though it really wasn't, was it? Sherlock asked himself. They'd been together for a few months now, and they slept in the same bed. This had been a long time in coming.

Now that it had happened, he knew that they would never turn back. He wanted them to only move forward from here, to discover even more about each other.

Even now, his hands were starting to move over Will's body.

It was exciting to be lying here naked next to the man he loved, to know that they could explore each other's bodies as much as they chose to.

He wanted to feel Will's soft hands on his skin, wanted to experience the wonder of being touched, even as he touched Will and discovered more of his body in the daylight.

Will stirred and murmured something as Sherlock's hand moved down his side; Sherlock couldn't keep himself from smiling delightedly when he heard the words. Will was whispering his name, and pushing his hips back against Sherlock as though he was waiting for .... something.

Oh, he knew what Will wanted -- and he wanted it as well. But he knew that it wasn't quite time for that yet, that it would come sometime in the future.

When it did, it would be another wonderful journey of discovery, one that he would make with the man he loved, one that he would enjoy to the fullest in every way.

Sherlock could hardly wait for that time to arrive.

***