This is a gift, a demonstration, a deepening of their relationship, of Hannibal's trust and loyalty, a strengthening of their bond, and yet there is more for Hannibal. He has wanted so much for Will, and he is certain that the more obvious of these, wanting to see his friend revel in the beauty of blood and death, will come to fruition in the near future, when they decide together to hunt the streets of Paris for their own peculiar sort of game. But this moment is also one of those things, if not specifically then certainly in kind. Hannibal wants to watch Will own this moment, shape it into his own design. And while Hannibal prefers power and control, he will loosen his grip on those things to watch this part of his experiment come to fruition. He is not intimidated by the prospect of the loss of control, in large part because he knows that if he wished, he could turn the tables on Will with ease and speed. But he is giving Will the reins for the beauty of seeing what masterful things he doe with them.

Hannibal kisses Will back in kind, gentle, slow, shallow, and touches his lover's cheek with one hand while resting the other lightly on his waist. When the kiss ends he meets Will's eyes, his own sparkling with intense curiosity, waiting with bated breath for his next move.