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Title: The Voice of Your Eyes
By: angstytimelord
Pairing: Hannibal Lecter/Will Graham
Fandom: Hannibal
Rating: PG-13
Table: 8, 50ficlets
Prompt: 20, Poetry
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. This fic was inspired by e.e. cummings' poem, "Somewhere I Have Never Traveled."
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.

***

Hannibal closed the book of poetry that he'd been reading from, looking up to see Will wiping tears from his eyes. Surprised, he put the book aside, moving from the chair he'd been sitting in to where was half-reclining on the couch. "Will, is something wrong?"

Will shook his head, smiling a bit. "No, nothing," he choked out, his voice hoarse. "That was just .... it was so beautiful. It .... touched me."

Hannibal nodded somberly, taking Will's hand in his own. "I agree, Will. Cummings is one of my favorite poets, and there is much beauty in his words." He paused before continuing, his voice softer. "There is so much in that poem that makes me think of you."

"There is?" Will looked up, surprised, his blue eyes widening.

"Yes." Hannibal took a deep breath, closing his eyes. "Until I met you, I had kept myself closed, like the petals in the poem. I had never dared to open myself to anyone."

Will's breath caught in his throat; he sat there in silence, waiting for Hannibal to continue. He hadn't been expecting any revelations like this tonight; he hadn't thought that a simple poem would make Hannibal open up and talk about his feelings.

They did talk about their feelings for each other, but Will had a feeling that this was coming from the heart, more so than anything Hannibal had ever said.

"You opened me to an entirely new world, Will." Hannibal's voice was very soft, his words careful. "You have showed me that I am indeed able to open myself up to love, to let myself trust another person. You have shown me that I don't have to be alone."

"You don't," Will whispered, his eyes filling with tears again. "You have me now. And I'll always be here, Hannibal. I'll always be with you."

Hannibal's arm went around his waist, pulling him close.

"You've enclosed me in your life, Will," he said softly, one hand moving to cup Will's jaw and turn the other man's face to his. "And it's exactly where I want to be."

Will gazed at his lover, unable to focus his gaze elsewhere. It was still hard for him to believe that Hannibal loved him, that this man could want him as much as he did. But it was true; he had somehow managed to capture Hannibal's heart, just as Hannibal had taken his own.

He never wanted that heart back. It was Hannibal's, for all of his life, for all of eternity. There was no one else he ever wanted to give that heart to.

They looked at each other what what could have been a very long time, or only mere moments. Will didn't know; he was lost in the dark depths of those eyes.

Hannibal's voice had captivated him when his lover was reading poetry to him; now, they needed no words, no voices. All they needed was to gaze into each other's eyes; those eyes had their own voices, making their own promises as eloquently as any words could.

Will saw all of his life in those eyes, all of the future that he would have with Hannibal. He saw the love in those dark depths, the love that Hannibal couldn't hide.

And he knew that love was reflected in his own eyes.

"The voice of your eyes says everything I need to hear," Hannibal whispered, his fingers delicately stroking Will's jaw. "I can read all of the words you would ordinarily be saying as eloquently by looking into your eyes as I could hear them if you were speaking."

Will swallowed hard, nodding, knowing that what Hannibal said was true. His eyes had always been his most expressive feature; they were easily read.

Especially for someone who was as good at reading people as Hannibal was. He could never mistake the voice of Will's eyes; he would never think that Will's gaze was telling him something that he wasn't. He would always be able to read Will like a book.

Reluctantly, Hannibal released him, getting up to move back to his chair and pick up the book of poetry again. Will sighed softly, wishing that he hadn't done so.

"What's wrong, Will?" Hannibal's voice was soft in the quiet of the room. "Just as I can tell what you eyes are saying to me, I know what your sighs mean, too. Have I upset you in some way, love?" His voice was concerned, carrying an underlying worry.

But Will only shook his head with a smile, patting the cushions beside him.

"I just want you to sit beside me again and read more poetry," he said softly, his gaze on Hannibal. "I want to curl up next to you and listen to your voice. I love hearing you read. Your voice .... makes me feel safe. It wraps around me and protects me, just like .... just like your love does."

Hannibal smiled and nodded, returning to his place beside Will and sliding a protective arm around the younger man's waist, holding Will close against him.

He turned to one of his favorite poems, and began reading, leaning back and letting himself relax with Will in his arms. His soothing voice filled the room, not only with the sound of his reading, but with the contented spirits of two people in love and at peace with their world.

***