The grand finale (well, in my world anyway).

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It may have been painstakingly slow, but its realisation could not have been better than even Hannibal could have imagined…

So now, two years after their first fateful meeting, Hannibal finds himself standing leaning into the welcoming embrace of Will, who is resting his body against the desk in the Doctor's opulent office, both men wondering if the moment was real or it was some self-induced hallucination that they employed on occasion to escape the mundanity of a world designed to serve the purpose of those who know they belong somewhere else…

"God…," whispered Will.

Hannibal closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. He had always loved the scent of his psychologically-conflicted FBI profiler. Now he could sense the subtle change in his singular odour that accompanied his pending evolution. Hannibal's lips remained hovering just above the side of Will's throat, exercising all the self-control he could muster, before he could finally, finally give him the release he so desperately needed.

"The Dragon is stronger than you or I, Will. But you know this already," the words reverberated off Will's skin.

"It is reassuring to hear you say so as well, Hannibal," breathed Will soft but unsteadily.

Hannibal reached down to the hem of Will's shirt and grazed his fingertips along his waist. Remembering the dream, Hannibal continued the movement as he glided both palms up the warm flesh of his back and down again, coming to rest either side of his waist.

He stepped back to look at Will, Will who was currently lost in his touch, eyes closed.

"Look at me, Will."

"Hannibal…"

Their eyes locked as Hannibal said, "The Dragon's kiss is liquid fire. He fears intimacy. When you understand and overcome that fear, embrace the dragon and make his essence a part of you, only then can you stop him. He will kill all to save himself. When you understand the Dragon, you can walk through the fire unscathed. Will you let me show you?," as he guided him towards the couch.

Will could only nod in submission.

Hannibal savoured his first taste of Will as he would the most delicious wine he had ever sampled. He undressed him as he would prepare his most exquisite dish before cooking slowly, oh so very slowly, with the heat radiating from his own body. He basted Will's scarred and pale skin with the balm of his own sweat. He tasted him all, biting sucking and sampling Will's intoxicating flavour mingled with his own.

Their inner darknesses pushed against each other, until they combined in a searing white heat, hotter than even dragon fire. In that moment, Hannibal never took his eyes from Will's face, witnessed the rebirth, saw a unique version of his own essence flare in Will's eyes, before reducing to calm smouldering embers, ready to flare back to life at any moment.

Hannibal witnessed his own metamorphosis anew and relished the intensity of its birth in Will Graham.

Will looked at him with new eyes. "I'm ready to face the Dragon. If you face him with me…"

Hannibal pressed his temple to Will's forehead. "That is all I ever wanted for you, Will," said Hannibal.