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Title: For the Moment
By: angstytimelord
Pairing: Hannibal Lecter/Will Graham
Fandom: Hannibal
Rating: PG-13
Table: Holiday Non-Bingo, tv_universe
Prompt: 18, Friends
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 pushed his plate away from him, raising his napkin to his lips.

"That was wonderful," he said sincerely as Hannibal poured him another glass of wine. "You'd better go easy with that," he cautioned. "I still have to drive back to Wolf Trap."

"Will, look outside," Hannibal told him, gesturing towards the window. "I don't believe you will be driving tonight. There is a veritable blizzard out there."

Will looked towards the window, surprised by the other man's words. There was indeed a blizzard outside; he couldn't see more than an inch from the window, and everything seemed to be a cloud of swirling white. Yes, he definitely wsn't going to try to drive in that.

For a moment, he felt panicked, then he let himself relax. There were a lot of bedrooms in this house; surely Hannibal could spare one tonight for him to stay in.

His dogs would be all right; he'd fed them before he had left the house, and they had plenty of water. The roads would be cleared enough by morning for him to make it back home.

For tonight, he would stay here, in Hannibal's house.

The thought made a frisson of pleasure run down his spine. He'd always wanted to spend the night here, to see what the rest of Hannibal's home was like.

He pushed the thought that he'd like to find out what Hannibal's bedroom was like into the back of his mind. That was not why he would be staying here tonight.

He was staying here out of necessity, simply because he couldn't hope to make it back home in this kind of snow. If he lived here in Baltimore, or even on the outskirts of the city, he might try -- but there was no way he was driving an hour, not the way that snow was pouring down outside.

"Yeah, it looks like I'm going to have to impose on your hospitality for the night," he said, turning away from the window to look at Hannibal. "I hope you don't mind."

"Of course I don't mind, Will," Hannibal said softly, shaking his head. "I'm a bit disappointed that you think I would. After all, what are friends for, if not to offer shelter from a storm?"

Hannibal's words brought a slight blush to Will's pale cheeks; he hadn't considered that Hannibal might be offended to know that Will might have thought he wouldn't be welcome here for the night. Of course Hannibal wouldn't have turned him away. They were friends, weren't they?

Never mind that he himself might want them to be more than friends. They had a solid footing on the grounds of friendship, and anything else could grow from there.

That was, if they both wanted it to, Will told himself. And as of yet, he had no idea just how Hannibal might feel about that. About him.

Tonight wasn't the time to find out. It was far too soon for that.

But he would spend the night here, in Hannibal's home, and he was sure that he'd feel comfortable here. He would find out more about this man as they talked through the evening.

He didn't really know all that much about Hannibal, but maybe tonight, his host would open up about himself. It would be nice to learn more, to be able to ask a few questions.

Hannibal got up from his chair, holding out his hand to Will. "I want to give you a gift tonight, Will. I have it under the tree in the living room, and I also have a bottle of good Scotch there, if you would care to share a glass of that, and a bit of conversation. It would be a pleasant way to pass the evening."

Will nodded, pushing back his chair and getting to his feet. He had to agree with Hannibal; he couldn't imagine a more pleasant way of spending the evening than being in this man's company.

He almost wanted to reach for Hannibal's hand as they moved from the dining room into the living room, but he refrained from doing so. That would come later. At least, he hoped it would.

There was no telling where this night could lead them.

He couldn't hoping that this time next year, he might be in this house again -- but that he would be here as more than a friend, and that he would be a permanent fixture.

For now, they were friends, sharing an evening of companionship. That was enough .... for the moment. Though Will hoped in his heart that they would become much, much more.

***