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Chapter Text

Six weeks had passed since Hannibal had noticed that he had begun to gain weight. And since Will had shown him just how much the younger man enjoyed the extra pounds on Hannibal's body. Hannibal had started to grow used to having a slightly softer stomach and thicker sides. He hadn't stepped up his exercise regimen, but he hadn't exactly intended to put on more weight either. But as he got dressed one morning before work, he realized that putting on more weight was precisely what he had done.

Will hadn't spent the previous night at Hannibal's, having gone home instead to tend to his dogs. And as Hannibal stood in his closet getting dressed, a part of him was glad the younger man had passed up on the opportunity for a sleepover.

Hannibal stood in front of the mirror. He wore a crimson dress shirt and a pair of gray, plaid pants. The pants were one of Hannibal's largest fitting pairs, or at least, they always had been. But now, they fit just as snugly as all the rest of his pants, and in all honesty, he wasn't so much wearing the pants as he was staring at the way the fly hung open several inches to accommodate his fleshier stomach.

Hannibal didn't exactly mind the way his stomach had softened. He knew Will enjoyed it, and his previous insecurities had diminished more and more each time Will had graced Hannibal's belly with his loving and accepting touch. But Hannibal had put off going to the tailor. He had told himself -- and Will -- that that was simply due to the way Will's pupils would dilate upon getting a glimpse of Hannibal's midsection squeezed into his snug clothing. But that wasn't the complete truth. A part of it was vanity -- a trait Hannibal had gotten used to but one for which he knew Will would chastise him. Hannibal wasn't entirely sure he was ready to admit defeat about the extent to which he had let his body go, no matter how much Will loved it. He needed some additional time to get used to the fact that his body was not as tight or lean as it had once been. And he needed time to get used to the fact that the sizes he had been able to wear for more than a decade no longer fit him the way they should. He needed time to let his vanity go and realize that no matter how soft he had gotten over the past couple months, he was still strong and healthy, even if his lean days were now behind him.

He knew, in time, he would grow accustomed to those changes, but he had not yet gotten there. And as he grabbed the sides of his pants to try to fasten them once more, he knew that this particular day would not be the one in which he succeeded in that acceptance.

Hannibal tugged at his waistband, trying to pull the sides of his trousers together. He tightened his abs and sucked in his stomach as much as possible, but no matter how much he muscled the waistband, he failed to get the two sides to meet.

As he let go of the pants, he let out a low growl. He had already had a shower and breakfast and knew he only had a few minutes remaining before he needed to be on the road, headed into his office for his first appointment. He didn't have a lot of time to waste.

Cursing himself for eating a second helping of breakfast, he tugged the pants off his hips and removed them completely. Despite those pants being one of his largest pairs, he thought he might find more room in another. He returned the pants to their rightful place and retrieved a second pair. They were solid black, and he knew that they -- and the matching waistcoat -- would be more flattering on his thicker body anyway. But when he pulled them up over his hips and butt, he had no more luck getting them closed than the previous pair.

He didn't have time to visit his tailor before work. He simply needed a quick fix, something that could get him through the day without having to resort to canceling his appointments or going into work pantless, which were beginning to feel like his only options at the moment. He left his pants hanging on his waist as he exited his closet. He glanced around the bedroom, looking for something, anything, that would help. His eyes landed on Will's dresser. He walked across the room, trying not to get his hopes up.

Will was much thinner than Hannibal. He had always been thinner than Hannibal, but over the past couple of months, the difference in their sizes had increased significantly. As he pulled open a drawer, he knew he wouldn't find a pair of dress pants to fit him. Or a pair of jeans, if he wanted to go for the more "casual doctor" look that made his skin crawl. But he thought he might find something to help him in his current situation. And as he rummaged through Will's bottom drawer, he found what he had been looking for.

But as he clutched the thick, soft fabric in his hands, he frowned. If jeans made him cringe, the black sweatpants he held were bound to give him some sort of fit. Nevertheless, Hannibal wasn't entirely sure how many more options he had at that point -- going pantless could possibly get him arrested, and canceling appointments because he couldn't fit into his clothing was too rude to fathom. He had to try something.

With a heavy sigh, he returned to his closet, glad that Will was not there to see him at his absolute lowest. He tossed the sweatpants over his shoulder and removed his trousers, wondering how he had gotten to this point. Day after day and night after night of rich, heavy, fattening meals and desserts played through his mind. He thought it would upset him -- he thought he would regret his substantial overindulgence over the past couple of months -- but, instead, thoughts of his cooking only proved to make his mouth water, as though his hearty, filling breakfast had not been enough to satisfy his healthy appetite. He certainly wasn't going to stop indulging -- "diet" was not a word he used, at least not in terms of his own behaviors. If he was to lose some weight, he would have to entertain the idea of returning to an exercise routine like the one he had all but given up just a couple of short months ago. But he wasn't sure losing weight was what he wanted at all. He was more interested in letting his vanity go a bit so he could accept the changes his body had incurred. But at the moment, he was even more interested in finding a solution to his too-small pants problem.

Hannibal pulled the sweatpants from his shoulder and held them up, stretching the waistband a bit. They were not his size -- if he were one to wear sweatpants -- but the elastic waistband seemed promising. With a deep breath, Hannibal stepped into the pants. He couldn't help his grimace as he slowly pulled the sweatpants up his legs, and he couldn't help his cringing when he slid the pants up over his backside, letting them settle above his hips. The waistband was snug, digging into his flesh, but the pants were on. Hannibal took in another deep breath and looked in the mirror in front of him.

If he had thought before that a pair of sweatpants could be considered flattering on him in any way, shape, or form, he now knew that that notion was no longer a possibility. Hannibal grimaced again at the sight of the ill-fitting black pants. The fabric was surprisingly soft, but the pants' good qualities ended there. The fabric was thick and shapeless. The pants looked as though they should be worn by a lazy, college freshman who was away from home for the first time and realized that he didn't know how to properly dress himself. Hannibal didn't recall the sweatpants looking so terrible on Will, however, who wore them occasionally to sleep in or when lounging around the house. But Will's style had never been all that impeccable. And to his credit, and Hannibal's infatuation, Will looked good in anything, if perhaps not entirely fashionable.

But Hannibal couldn't wear the sweatpants to work. His patients wouldn't take him seriously, but even more importantly, he wouldn't be able to take himself seriously. He tugged the pants off and returned to Will's dresser, folding them neatly and putting them away. He retrieved his black trousers and pulled them on again, determined to make them fit by whatever means necessary.

He tugged the sides towards one another several times, but they just wouldn't close. He narrowed his eyes at the small pooch of his belly, wishing he had had a little more time to come up with a plan. When Hannibal's belly was sucked in, the sides of the pants were less than two inches from meeting. If he could just extend the button a little bit, or...

Hannibal got an idea. With the pants hanging open, he left the bedroom and went downstairs. He walked to a storage closet in a hallway and rummaged inside. He found what he was looking for, smiling as he knew he would make it through another day in his own pants. With rubber band in hand, he returned to his bedroom to finish getting dressed.

In front of the mirror once again, Hannibal slipped the rubber band through the button hole of his trousers. He threaded one end through the other and looped the free end around the button to fasten the pants. He gave the sides of the pants a gentle tug. The rubber band stretched but remained in place, effectively holding up his pants. It was a quick fix and one he wasn't entirely proud of, but it would do for the time being. At least until he could get to a tailor.

Hannibal finished getting dressed in a hurry, taking only a moment to eye the way the buttons of his roomiest waistcoat pulled tightly over his small paunch. He reached behind him to loosen the slide but found that it was already as loose as it would go. Hannibal sighed and let it be, just glad that the bottom of the waistcoat masked the makeshift pants fastening. He grabbed his suit jacket and pulled it on, opting to leave it unbuttoned.

He left the house a short time later, arriving at his office with five minutes to spare before his first appointment. He had a busy day, with back-to-back sessions, and it didn't take long for him to put the morning's difficulties out of his head.

Chapter Text

Dinner was in the oven, and Hannibal had just begun making dessert when he heard a faint click from the front of the house. His ears perked up and he stilled his hands, waiting for the familiar call.

“It’s me,” Will said.

Satisfied, Hannibal continued working on dessert. A few moments later, Will appeared through the doorway to the kitchen.

“Hey,” he said, smiling.

“Good evening, Will.”

“It smells amazing in here.”

“Thank you,” Hannibal said, returning the smile. “Would you care for a pre-dinner glass of wine?”

“Sure, yeah.”

Hannibal paused his work on dessert and wiped his hands on a nearby towel on the counter. He retrieved a bottle of wine and two glasses, filling both. He handed one glass to Will and took a sip from his own. He set the glass on the counter and returned to the dessert.

“Thanks.” Will took a sip and then set his glass down as well. He stood on the other side of the counter but said nothing.

After several silent moments, Hannibal looked up. He wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. Will often got quiet when he had had to endure the overwhelming details of yet another case. So a part of Hannibal thought he might see Will frowning, lost in thought. He certainly didn’t expect the playful grin and the predatory glint in Will’s eye.

Hannibal’s own predatory instincts kicked in. But not in a survival way. Or a hunting way. Instead, he felt the effects of it low in his stomach. It was primal and animalistic, and Hannibal thought for a moment about swiping dessert onto the floor and throwing Will onto the counter instead.

“You look good,” Will breathed.

Hannibal grinned as he finished preparing their dessert. The weight he had gained recently had done nothing to deter Will sexually. In fact, Will had seemed even more aroused by Hannibal over the past couple of months in which Hannibal had steadily packed on the pounds.

Will stalked around the counter, eyeing Hannibal the whole way. Hannibal watched him, lifting an eyebrow. As Will reached Hannibal’s side of the counter, his gaze fell to Hannibal’s midsection which was snugly bound in the confines of his white apron. Hannibal grabbed the towel and wiped his hands clean. Will reached him moments later, pressing a gentle hand against the fullest part of Hannibal’s stomach. But then he moved around behind Hannibal who stood in place. He felt Will’s hands fidgeting at his lower back, and then suddenly the apron loosened around his waist. Will snatched it in his hand and tossed it onto the counter. Then, he put both of his hands on Hannibal’s sides, gently squeezing the love handles that were mostly obscured by the thickness of his waistcoat and dress shirt. Hannibal tossed the towel onto the counter as Will snaked his hands around to Hannibal’s front. They came to a rest on the fullest part of Hannibal’s stomach where it pooched out above his waistband.

Hannibal tensed at that. At the thought of the waistband of his own pants, with the button that wouldn’t close. And the rubber band he had used to fasten them. He placed both of his hands over Will’s. But that didn’t stop the younger man. He squeezed Hannibal’s belly, and then his hands crept downward.

Hannibal grabbed a hold of Will’s hands, holding them tightly enough that Will had to either stop or use force to break free.

Will stopped. “What’s wrong?” he asked quietly, resting his chin on Hannibal’s shoulder.

“Nothing’s wrong,” Hannibal said. Changing subjects, he added, “Dinner is nearly done.” He glanced at the timer and saw that three minutes remained.

“Three minutes,” Will said aloud, evidently having checked the timer as well. “That’s plenty of time.”

“Maybe for you.”

Will laughed. His hands were still pinned to Hannibal’s stomach, and the younger man firmly squeezed two handfuls. “It’s not my fault you get me going quickly.”

Hannibal smiled.

“Besides, so what if dinner’s a little bit cold?”

Hannibal turned his head, narrowing his eyes at Will.

“Not even cold. Room temperature, really.”

“I will not have us eating room temperature food, William.”

Will let out a dramatic sigh. “Okay, Doctor Lecter.”

Hannibal patted his hands, expecting him to give up for the time being. But he didn’t. When Hannibal released his hands, Will began to slide them down again. They were at his waist now, only an inch or two away from the makeshift fastening. Hannibal grabbed Will by the wrists and pulled his hands away.

“Mmm, so we’re playing it a bit rough tonight, then?”

“No,” Hannibal said. “I need to set the table.”

“It’s already set. I saw it.”

“We can take our wine glasses into the dining room.”

“Seriously?”

“Yes. Grab your glass and come with me.” Hannibal let go of Will’s wrists and took half a step forward.

Will’s hands were on Hannibal’s sides then, over his ribs. He gripped tightly and pulled Hannibal back against him gently. “What the hell is going on here, Hannibal?”

“Nothing is going on,” Hannibal lied. “We simply do not have time to have sex before dinner. I am not sure why I am having to explain the importance of my meals to you.”

“Okay, not sex, then. But can’t we just make out a bit? We have a couple minutes. We won’t miss dinner. It’ll still be hot. Win-win.”

Hannibal refused to allow Will to discover his rubber band-rigged trousers. He couldn’t let Will feel the front of his pants, but he also didn’t want Will to get suspicious by denying him any affection at all. Hannibal sighed softly, turning to face Will. He offered a gentle smile and then leaned in, pressing his lips against Will’s. Will kissed him back. After a few moments, Hannibal broke the kiss.

Will smiled up at him and said, “That’s more like it.” Then his hands slid down Hannibal’s sides. He gently squeezed and then moved his hands to Hannibal’s stomach.

Hannibal tensed. He didn’t want to have to stop Will again, but he couldn’t let him find the rubber band. He wasn’t ready to have that particular conversation. But Will didn’t stop. He pressed both palms against Hannibal’s stomach, squeezing gently. Then, he moved them downward again. Hannibal let out a sigh and wrapped his fingers around Will’s wrists once more.

“Really?” Will asked.

“Really, what?”

“What is this? Do you not want me touching your stomach? Hannibal, we’ve had this discussion before, and—”

Beep.

The oven timer sounded, and Will let out a heavy, exasperated sigh as Hannibal backed away from him. He went to the oven and opened the door, pulling out their dinner and setting it on the counter. He replaced it with dessert and re-set the timer.

“Ready to eat, Will?”

Will stared at him. His jaw was tight, and Hannibal was sure he was going to continue their conversation, but instead, his expression softened. He shook his head and sighed. Then, shrugged both shoulders and said, “Yeah, sure.”

He was very obviously annoyed with Hannibal’s behavior, but Hannibal wasn’t about to admit the reason for it. Just that morning, he had had to admit defeat to himself. He wasn’t ready to admit defeat to Will as well.

The two of them ate at the dining room table. The conversation remained mostly light and easy, and neither brought up the incident in the kitchen. But Hannibal could sense the irritation steaming off of Will throughout their entire meal. Dessert didn’t change things, and by the time they had finished, the tension in the room was palpable. Hannibal just needed to be able to unfasten the rubber band before Will had a chance to see it. And then all would be well again, and Will would know that Hannibal was perfectly fine having Will’s hands all over him.

Hannibal washed dishes as Will lingered nearby. He didn’t try to touch Hannibal again and while Hannibal felt badly about that, a part of him was glad. He didn’t want to have to fight Will off again so soon.

On their way upstairs for the night, Hannibal felt uncomfortable. He had indulged completely and his stomach felt overstuffed. Heavy and bloated as it rested above his waistband. He was eager to get out of his too-snug pants – and waistcoat and dress shirt.

When they reached the bedroom, Will went straight to his dresser without a word. He began to undress, and Hannibal took the opportunity to slip into his closet for some privacy. He quickly removed his waistcoat, hanging it up before moving onto his pants. He removed the rubber band from the button and his pants spread apart much more widely than Hannibal was comfortable with. His belly expanded with the newfound freedom, and despite the heavy curve of it, he felt relief that it was no longer confined so tightly in his clothing.

“So, are we going to talk about this?”

Hannibal turned around, tucking the rubber band into his pants pocket and hoping Will hadn’t seen it. He cocked his head to the side, waiting for Will to speak again.

“Hannibal,” he began. He took a step forward, lowering his gaze to Hannibal’s midsection.

Hannibal still wore his dress shirt, but it was not loose on him. In fact, his thicker belly protruded to the point that his shirt – even practically untucked as it was with his pants undone – rounded out obviously at his middle.

Will took another step forward and then gently pressed both hands against Hannibal’s rounder stomach. “What was all that about tonight?” His brow furrowed and a slight frown formed on his face. “You’re not feeling insecure, are you?”

“No, Will.” Hannibal reached up and cupped Will’s cheek with one hand. “I simply thought we did not have enough time for sex. And if we are going to engage in such behaviors, I would like to devote my full attention to them.”

Will nodded slowly, but his expression was one of skepticism. The excuse was thin. And it was not one Hannibal had ever used before. They had engaged in intimate behaviors with limited time in the past. But Hannibal wasn’t sure he could come up with a better excuse than that. At least, not one that Will was more likely to buy into.

Will slowly moved his palms over the swell of Hannibal’s stomach. “So, you don’t mind me touching your belly, then?”

Hannibal offered a small smile. “Of course not.”

Will watched him closely, narrowing his eyes a bit. If he wanted to further question Hannibal’s behavior, he didn’t have the opportunity.

Hannibal leaned in and kissed Will firmly on the mouth. “So, now that we have plenty of time…”

Will’s skepticism faded as a wide grin spread across his face. “Yeah?”

“Absolutely.”

Chapter Text

Will was frustrated. Hannibal was being standoffish and evasive. And if Will were correct – which he was fairly certain that he was – Hannibal was lying to him. Hannibal had seemed willing to play along with Will’s desires at first. It wasn’t until Will had touched Hannibal’s stomach that the doctor put a stop to it. Every single time. Hannibal wouldn’t let it go very far, and he had even physically removed Will’s hands from his abdomen.

Will was fine with not having sex if that’s what Hannibal truly wanted. Well, maybe not fine – he was still a libidinous man who found his boyfriend immensely attractive – but he would respect it. However, Will didn’t think that that was the reason why Hannibal had put a stop to Will’s advances. He had only stopped Will when he had touched Hannibal’s belly, as though he were feeling self-conscious about it again.

Will knew Hannibal had gained a few more pounds. He had been steadily putting on more weight for the past couple of months. Will had found it incredibly attractive and had taken every opportunity to show Hannibal just how attracted to him he was. So he was unsure why the doctor would suddenly be feeling self-conscious all over again. Will had thought that they were past that.

But when Hannibal had denied his touch in the kitchen, and when he had changed topics, and when he had avoided the subject entirely at dinner, Will decided to let it go for the time being. He didn’t like it. And it played over and over in his mind the rest of the evening. But he didn’t bring it up. At least, not until they had gone upstairs for the night.

Will went to his dresser and began to change his clothes. He wanted to bring it up. He needed to bring it up. He wasn’t sure Hannibal would be honest with him, but he had to try. Sighing softly, he opened a drawer and retrieved his clothes for bed. Before he shut the bottom drawer, he noticed something out of place. Or rather, something odd that seemed out of place for Will’s drawer, anyway. Tucked inside his drawer of haphazardly folded pants was a pair of neatly folded black sweatpants. Will remembered them being in the drawer before, but he didn’t remember folding them so neatly. It was as if someone a little more concerned with tidiness had done it.

Will looked over his shoulder, but Hannibal was out of sight. His closet door was open, and the light was on.

Will turned back to his drawer. He didn’t know why Hannibal would have been in Will’s drawer. Or why he would have chosen to fold only one pair of Will’s pants. Letting it go for the time being, Will closed the drawer and changed his clothes. Then, he took a deep breath and walked across the room to Hannibal’s closet. He lingered in the doorway, watching Hannibal from behind.

Will enjoyed the view. He had always enjoyed the view from behind Hannibal, but over the past couple of months, Hannibal’s thicker body had done things to Will that he hadn’t realized were possible. Will loved the weight Hannibal had put on. He was thicker and softer in all the right places, and Will absolutely adored Hannibal’s body. As he stared at Hannibal in the closet, he couldn’t help but let his eyes wander downward to the doctor’s backside. It had gotten plusher over the past couple months, filling out his pants in a way that Will found irresistible. But the pants were tight – appearing almost too tight in Will’s opinion – and Will wasn’t sure how much longer Hannibal would be able to squeeze into those particular pants. He was a little surprised the doctor hadn’t outgrown them already.

He felt his own pants tighten in front. As much as he wanted to get a couple handfuls of his boyfriend’s beautiful ass, he knew he needed to address the issue that neither had spoken about all evening.

“So, are we going to talk about this?”

Hannibal turned around, tucking a hand into his pocket.

Will’s eyes were drawn down to Hannibal’s open fly. His shirt was still tucked in, but his rounder belly filled it out nicely, forming a small paunch that curved outward, forcing his pants to hang open obscenely.

He questioned Hannibal about his behavior earlier in the evening. Hannibal denied feeling self-conscious and recited an excuse for his actions that Will wasn’t entirely sure he believed. But Hannibal no longer seemed self-conscious. It was as if coming upstairs had flipped some kind of switch for him. Will tried to chalk it up to Hannibal possibly being irritable earlier from hunger. Or feeling a little uncomfortable in the pants Will knew were getting rather tight on the doctor. Will wasn’t sure of the real reason, but Hannibal seemed more agreeable and no longer insecure in any way. And Will wasn’t going to ruin that by questioning it further.

“So,” Hannibal began after kissing Will. “Now that we have plenty of time…”

Will grinned, glad the doctor’s mood had changed. “Yeah?”

“Absolutely.”

Will eagerly went to work unbuttoning Hannibal's dress shirt. He slid it off Hannibal's shoulders, and the doctor let it fall to the floor as Will placed his hands to the dome of Hannibal's bare tummy. Will pressed in gently, eliciting a small moan from the doctor. The flesh was soft against his palms, but beneath that, Will could feel the firmness of Hannibal's overstuffed belly. His small paunch protruded forward, cradled gently by the wide V of his open fly. The sides hung so far apart that Will wondered how Hannibal had managed to fasten them in the first place. Will lightly squeezed the pudge beneath Hannibal's navel, getting two decent-sized handfuls.

Hannibal let out another small moan which seemed less from discomfort and more from arousal. He leaned in close and kissed Will with passion.

Will loved how big Hannibal had become. He wasn't fat necessarily or even particularly overweight. But he certainly wasn't thin any longer. Hannibal's days of having a lean, toned body seemed solidly in his past, and Will was pleased with that.

He knew that the reason Hannibal had been gaining weight was because he had all but given up on his exercise routine. Hannibal had admitted slacking off on his workouts more than a month earlier, and Will had noticed that those fewer workouts had quickly turned into no workouts at all. Not that Will minded. For one, that meant that he and Hannibal could spend more time together, and for two, Will absolutely adored Hannibal's thicker body.

Will slipped his hands into the sides of Hannibal's pants, beneath his boxers. Even unfastened, the snug fabric of his trousers pressed Will's hands firmly against Hannibal's meaty hips. Will squeezed the soft flesh and then worked to slide Hannibal's pants off his hips and butt. They were tight, though, and Will found himself struggling to remove the pants from Hannibal's expanded lower body.

Hannibal let out a quiet chuckle that surprised Will.

Will smirked. "You are absolutely poured into these pants, Hannibal."

"They seem to have grown a bit snug, haven't they?"

Will chuckled softly. He lifted his eyebrows and looked at Hannibal with wide playful, eyes. "I'm not sure they are the ones doing the growing here." He gave Hannibal's soft sides a firm squeeze to emphasize his point.

Hannibal growled quietly, but Will could see the playful glint in his eye. He reached up and wove his fingers into Will's hair, clutching tightly.

Will gasped quietly and then gave Hannibal's pants a good tug. They finally pulled off his thicker hips and butt. Will worked them down, glad when they were clear of Hannibal's larger upper thighs. They fell to the floor in a heap, and Hannibal kicked them aside. Will easily slipped off Hannibal’s underwear, feeling a warmth spread low in his belly at the image of Hannibal’s naked body before him.

Stocky, Will thought as he drank in the sight. Beneath the newly added pudge that clung to his body – mostly at his belly and sides – Hannibal carried a good amount of muscle. He was strong and thick, with a powerful body that happened to be insulated very well by a plush layer of chub. And Will thought that “stocky” seemed like the perfect word to describe Hannibal’s build of late.

Hannibal put his hands on Will’s sides, firmly gripping him at the waist. He leaned in and buried his face in Will’s neck, kissing at the sensitive skin over his jugular. Will let out an uninhibited moan as he closed his eyes. He tilted his head away, allowing Hannibal full access to his neck. Will ran his hands over Hannibal’s torso, loving the way his strong body felt covered in a little extra warmth and softness.

Hannibal clutched Will’s shirt in his hands and pulled upward. Will let him maneuver the shirt off of him, and then Hannibal worked on Will’s pants. Will had already changed into his pajama pants, so Hannibal only had to untie the strings in front and give Will’s pants a gentle tug before Will was naked as well.

They kissed again, both running their hands over each other’s bare flesh. They stumbled to the bed together where Will turned them around. He gently pushed at Hannibal’s solid chest and the doctor sank to the bed. Will eyed the crease that formed across the middle of Hannibal’s paunch, creating a small roll beneath his navel. Will reached out a hand, gripping the soft flesh of Hannibal’s belly before leaning down to kiss him firmly on the mouth.

Will crawled on top of Hannibal who moved to lie down on the comforter. Will braced himself above the doctor as they continued to kiss. Hannibal nipped Will’s lower lip, and the latter gasped quietly. Will kissed down Hannibal’s jaw and the side of his neck to his clavicle. Hannibal’s hands were on Will’s sides, over his ribcage, fingers dancing across Will’s skin in a touch so light that it sent shivers throughout Will’s body. Will remained where he was for a few moments longer than planned, letting the doctor caress his sides as Will gently nipped at the soft skin at the hollow of Hannibal’s throat.

Will raised up as another shiver went down his spine. He smiled down at Hannibal who moved his hands to Will’s hips where he continued lightly dancing his fingers across Will’s skin. Will placed a hand on Hannibal’s chest, gently weaving his fingers through the coarse, graying hair. He slowly slid his hand down, following the line of hair as it made its way towards Hannibal’s navel. Halfway down, Will’s hand curved upward slightly as it reached the gentle swell of Hannibal’s belly.

In most positions, Hannibal’s relaxed stomach had not been particularly flat since he and Will had begun their relationship. However, there had been a time, early on, when Hannibal’s belly sunk in slightly from his ribs to his hips while lying on his back. Even as he had started to gain weight, gravity had continued to assist in that area when Hannibal was lying down, allowing his stomach to appear flat for the majority of their relationship. That was, up until a few weeks earlier anyway. As Hannibal had continued to pack on the pounds, Will had noticed the way Hannibal’s stomach had filled out, even while lying flat on his back. There was no longer a dip from his ribs to his hip bones. In fact, he had put on enough weight that there was even the slightest curve at the middle of his belly. A curve that Will found irresistible. But Hannibal had just eaten dinner – a large dinner at that – plus dessert, which had left him overstuffed. The bloating caused Hannibal’s belly to pooch out even more than usual, creating a shallow dome that Will had seen more and more of late and had quickly gotten used to.

Will pressed his palm into the soft flesh, eliciting another moan from Hannibal. Will bent down and feathered his lips over Hannibal’s belly, just above his navel. The soft flesh and coarse hair left an arousing sensation on Will’s lips. He dipped the tip of his tongue into Hannibal’s navel, and the doctor let out a sensual moan that sent warmth into Will’s lower abdomen.

Will dragged his fingertips across Hannibal’s stomach to his fleshy sides, where he gripped firmly. Hannibal had developed small love handles that clung tightly to his waist above his hips. While Hannibal’s thicker stomach had grown more and more obvious even in clothing, he had somehow always been good at masking his love handles beneath his three-piece suits. But Will loved the way they looked, no longer concealed by clothing. They were soft and doughy, and they fit perfectly in Will’s hands. Will loved the shape of Hannibal’s body – the way his strong, V-shaped torso had expanded and softened, creating an outline that was thick from his ribs to his hips. There was no longer an obvious tapering at his waist. Instead, his middle had thickened to the point where his love handles had not only filled out his sides but had started to bulge outward. Will wondered how much longer Hannibal would be able to hide his love handles beneath the thick fabric of his suits.

Will bent down, kissing the soft skin beneath Hannibal’s navel. Then he nipped lightly, holding the excess flesh between his teeth. Hannibal groaned and tugged at Will’s hair. Will looked up at him with a smirk, seeing that Hannibal’s pupils were dilated completely – his eyes a deep, lustful black. Will smiled and slowly moved up Hannibal’s body, planting gentle kisses along his belly and chest. Hannibal’s hands clamped down on Will’s waist as the latter reached the doctor’s neck. Hannibal pinned Will to him, and Will kissed the side of Hannibal’s neck. Hannibal tilted his head away, offering up the sensitive skin, as he lifted his hips, rutting firmly against Will’s. Will nipped at Hannibal’s jawline where he had let his facial hair grow in a bit. Will loved the way the scratchy stubble felt against his lips. Hannibal dug his fingertips into Will’s hips, gripping tightly. Will smiled against Hannibal’s cheek and then kissed him gently on the mouth.

Hannibal kissed back, pouring passion into the gesture. He snaked his tongue into Will’s mouth as he wrapped his hands around to Will’s ass, squeezing firmly. Will slid his hands down Hannibal’s sides again, getting two handfuls of the extra flesh above the doctor’s hips. He squeezed gently and then Hannibal wrapped both arms around Will’s waist. He let out a low growl as he rolled them both over and pinned Will’s body to the bed with his own.

Will smiled up at him and Hannibal took the lead. He loosened Will up and, despite the lustful, animalistic look in his eyes, Hannibal remained gentle, albeit very obviously eager. They moved together easily, finding a steady rhythm. Will kept his hands mostly on Hannibal’s soft sides, loving how warm and pliable they felt as the two of them moved together.

They were both panting heavily by the time they finished. Will could feel his hair matted to his own forehead, and he could see the sheen of sweat dampening the coarse hair on Hannibal’s chest. Hannibal lowered himself onto Will who wrapped his arms around his bigger boyfriend. Despite their size difference – or possibly because of it – Will felt comfortable beneath Hannibal’s body. Will took in a deep breath and then let out a soft, satisfied moan.

“Should I move?” Hannibal whispered, his body tensing slightly.

Will gripped Hannibal’s sides to keep him in place, afraid he’d try to slip away before Will had a chance to answer. “Don’t you dare.”

Hannibal relaxed, and Will lightly dragged his fingertips up and down Hannibal’s sides, loving the way Hannibal nuzzled against his neck.

Chapter Text

Will went upstairs after breakfast to take a shower. Hannibal had stayed in the kitchen and had sent Will on his way, insisting that he could take care of the dishes on his own. Will had sighed but didn’t argue, knowing how obsessive Hannibal could be about the cleanliness of his kitchenware.

It was a Saturday, and the two of them had made plans to spend the entire day together. It wasn’t an unusual thing for them to do on weekends, but the weekdays always proved to be so busy that by the time Saturday rolled around, Will was always more than ready to have a relaxing time with Hannibal. This particular weekend, they had decided to take Will’s boat out. The idea had been Hannibal’s, and Will had been pleased with the suggestion. Will didn’t get to take his boat out as often as he would have liked and even less often with Hannibal. Will didn’t think Hannibal had ever been particularly keen on the idea of sailing – spending the entire day on the boat, fishing, swimming in the ocean – so he had been a little surprised at Hannibal’s suggestion. But Will thought a sunny day out on the ocean sounded like a wonderful idea, and since Hannibal had seemed so willing to do it, they had made the plans.

Will finished with his shower and got dressed. As he left the bathroom, he caught a whiff of Hannibal’s aftershave. Will followed the scent to the bedroom where he found Hannibal standing in his closet, getting dressed.

Up until recently, Hannibal had been one to get up early, shower, dress, and then start fixing breakfast. But over the past week or so, Will had noticed a change in Hannibal’s routine. The doctor no longer got dressed right after taking a shower. Granted, he did put on clothes, but they were typically in the form of a sweater and a clean pair of pajama pants. Will had been startled the first time he had entered the kitchen to find Hannibal standing in front of the stove in something other than a waistcoat and dress pants. But the trend had stayed, and Hannibal’s new routine didn’t have him getting properly dressed in his typical three-piece suit until after breakfast.

Despite his initial shock at seeing Hannibal with an apron tied snugly around his sweater and pajama pants, Will wasn’t entirely surprised. He hadn’t even brought it up with Hannibal, already knowing the reason for the change. Simply put, Hannibal was more comfortable. Not just in the sense that he was comfortable enough with Will and their relationship to allow Will to see him in something other than his most prim and proper outfits, but in the sense that the clothing was physically more comfortable.

Will knew that Hannibal’s clothes were getting more and more snug by the week – possibly by the meal, with the way Hannibal put away food – and the doctor had evidently opted to remain as physically comfortable for as long as possible, especially in the mornings. Will couldn’t blame him.

So the sight of seeing Hannibal getting dressed after breakfast was not what shocked Will. No, it was the image of Hannibal turned to the side, his face contorting ever so slightly as he tried to fasten a pair of black trousers. Trousers Will was sure he had seen Hannibal wearing earlier that week.

“Oh,” Will muttered, feeling his own pants tighten a bit in front.

Hannibal looked at him. If he was surprised to see Will standing there, it didn’t show. But Will doubted he was surprised – he had probably heard, or smelled, Will coming. Hannibal straightened up, rolling his shoulders back as he let go of the sides of his pants. He wore a dark green dress shirt that was tucked into the waistband. His stomach caused the shirt to round out, and he looked a little heavier than usual with his after-breakfast bloating. The sides of the pants hung open, forming a wide V around his small paunch.

“Too much breakfast?” Will asked with a smirk. He took a few slow steps forward and gently pressed his palm to the fullest part of Hannibal’s belly.

“I am afraid that may be the case.”

Will smiled. He leaned in and kissed Hannibal on the lips and then pulled back, looking down at the pants Hannibal was trying to squeeze into. “Didn’t you wear these earlier this week?”

“They have been washed,” Hannibal said, an indignant edge to his voice.

“I’m sure they have, but that’s not what I meant.”

Hannibal tilted his head.

“I mean, you wore them earlier this week, right?”

“I did.”

“And they…fit you then, yes?”

Hannibal’s jaw tightened. He must have realized what Will was getting at.

“You think it might be time for a visit to your tailor?”

Hannibal narrowed his eyes. “I simply overate. That is all.”

Will chuckled. “I know you did. You do that a lot.” He slowly rubbed his hand over Hannibal’s belly. “That’s the reason you’re having this issue.”

Hannibal’s features tightened, and he glared at Will who could practically see the steam rolling out of Hannibal’s ears.

“I’m not criticizing you,” Will said gently, trying to reassure him. He gently put his hands on Hannibal’s shirt-covered sides, rubbing gently. “You know how I feel about your body.”

Hannibal nodded once, his expression softening.

Will planted a light kiss on Hannibal’s cheek. “But this just doesn’t look comfortable.” He stepped back slightly and pinched the sides of Hannibal’s pants in his hands. He tugged them gently towards one another, only slightly surprised to see the size of the gap in the middle. With Hannibal’s current bloating, Will wasn’t sure how the doctor would ever get those pants fastened. In fact, he wasn’t entirely sure how Hannibal had fastened those pants just a few days earlier either. There was no way he had gained that much weight in less than a week.

Hannibal put his hands over Will’s. “I just need to work at it a little.”

“You need to visit the tailor.”

“What I need is for you to retrieve my phone from downstairs.”

Will furrowed his brow, thrown by the sudden change in topic. “What?”

“If you would, please.”

Will frowned. “I didn’t mean to offend you.”

“I’m not offended. We’re leaving soon, and I need my phone.”

“So, why don’t you get it on our way out?”

“I could,” Hannibal said, taking a step closer. He leaned in and kissed Will on the lips. “Or you could do me this favor.”

Will smiled gently, still unsure why Hannibal suddenly needed Will to get his phone for him. But he didn’t argue. He shook his head slightly and gave Hannibal’s tummy a gentle pat. “Good luck with the pants.” Then, he left the closet and headed downstairs.

He felt like it was a ruse. Like Hannibal had wanted him out of the room for some reason. Despite denying it, Hannibal had certainly seemed offended by Will’s words. He assumed Hannibal just needed a few minutes to cool off and that was why he had sent Will away. A part of Will didn’t expect to find Hannibal’s phone downstairs at all. Like the errand had simply been a quick excuse to get Will to leave. So Will was a little surprised when he found Hannibal’s phone lying on the desk in his office. Will grabbed it and headed back upstairs.

When he returned, Hannibal had exited the closet and was standing in front of his dresser, fastening his watch around his wrist. He had changed out of the green dress shirt and was, instead, wearing a dark gray sweater that hid most of his added weight but made him look soft and warm, nonetheless. However, he still wore the same pair of black pants and from Will’s angle, it looked as though they were actually fastened. Although, he couldn’t get a good look because the bottom of the sweater lapped over his pants.

“Wow,” Will said, eyeing Hannibal’s waist.

Hannibal looked at him.

“You actually got those on?”

“I did.”

“I must say, I’m rather impressed.

Hannibal smiled gently. “As I said before, they simply required a little bit of work.”

Will recalled the size of the gap between the two sides of Hannibal’s pants. He assumed closing that gap had required more than a little work, and he suddenly realized why Hannibal had sent him on an errand. He hadn’t wanted Will to see him struggling so much to squeeze into his pants.

“Are you going to be comfortable wearing those all day long?”

“Will, I wear dress pants every day.”

“Yeah, but—”

“I will be fine.”

“All right,” Will said with a sigh. He held Hannibal’s phone out. “Here.”

Hannibal walked to him and took the phone. “Are you ready to go?”

Will nodded. “I just need to slip my shoes on.”

Hannibal waited while Will finished getting ready. Hannibal retrieved an insulated food carrier on the way out, and Will grabbed a cooler he had already filled with ice. At Will’s behest, they both took their jackets from the rack by the door, knowing it could get a bit chilly on the water. Then, they left in Hannibal’s car, headed towards the ocean.

Chapter Text

As Will steered the boat out to sea, Hannibal watched, impressed by the ease with which Will maneuvered the vessel through the water. Hannibal was adept at many things, but captaining a boat was not a task that he had ever undertaken before. He mostly lingered nearby, staying out of Will’s way. But after a while, the boat slowed before coming to a stop, drifting gently in the water.

Will turned and smiled at Hannibal who was seated nearby. “Want to help with the anchor?”

“I would be happy to,” Hannibal said, getting to his feet.

“Great. Follow me.”

Hannibal removed his jacket and left it on his seat. He rolled up the sleeves of his sweater and followed the younger man. Will directed him on what to do, and Hannibal followed his instructions. Will let him do it on his own, standing nearby to supervise. When Hannibal finished, he straightened up, turning to look at Will.

“Great job.”

“Thank you.”

Will smiled. “Was that the most work you’ve done on a boat?”

“Yes, it was.”

Will chuckled softly. “Well, you did an excellent job.” He stepped closer, closing the gap between them. He placed his hands on Hannibal’s sides.

Hannibal inclined his head and planted a gentle kiss on Will’s lips. Will squeezed Hannibal’s soft love handles and then pulled back.

“Should we set up a couple rods and then eat lunch?”

“That sounds good.”

Will gave Hannibal’s sides another squeeze and then smiled as he stepped away. They retrieved the two fishing rods Will brought along and set them up at the aft of the boat, securing them so they wouldn’t fall overboard.

Hannibal went belowdecks and retrieved the food he had brought, taking a few minutes to re-heat it on the small stovetop in the galley. Will joined him a short time later.

When the food was finished heating, the two of them ate at a table near the stove and small sink in the galley. Hannibal had made sure to pack enough food to keep them fed for the majority of the day, assuming they would be on the water for most of the morning and afternoon.

“I’m glad you suggested this,” Will said when they were both nearly finished eating.

“As am I.” Hannibal took another bite of the lamb on his plate.

“Just curious,” Will began.

Hannibal looked up, waiting for him to finish.

“Why did you?”

Hannibal smiled gently. “I enjoy seeing you do something that interests you.”

Will smirked. “Well, you see me do that most nights.” He bounced his eyebrows.

Hannibal gave him an admonishing look. “Will.”

Will chuckled.

“You and I spend a lot of time engaging in my interests. I would like for us to include yours as well.”

Will’s smile softened. “That’s sweet.”

“You sound surprised.”

“Not surprised. Just…touched.” Will paused and then added, “And not even in the crass way I would have suggested moments ago.” He winked.

Hannibal smiled.

“So, what if I wanted us to spend an entire day just fishing? Or fixing boat motors? Or just hanging out with my dogs?”

“I am not sure how much help I would be fixing boat motors for an entire day.”

Will chuckled. “Okay, maybe not that, then. And maybe not an entire day.”

“Yes, Will. We could do any of those things.”

Will’s lips curled into a grin that appeared almost wicked. Hannibal tilted his head, waiting to hear whatever devious musing had suddenly crossed his lover’s mind.

“So, maybe I’ll bring the dogs over sometime, and we can spend all day in the house with them.”

Hannibal smiled gently, not allowing his aversion to show. “Or we could spend some time with them at your house instead.”

Will chuckled. “Oh, come on. I could bring them all over sometime. You have enough chairs and place settings at your dining table. They are all very well-behaved.”

Hannibal narrowed his eyes. “Now you are just trying to bait me.”

Will grinned. “Pun intended?”

“Perhaps.”

Will smirked. “What about when we move in together?”

Hannibal tilted his head, giving Will a questioning look. The two of them had discussed moving in together only a couple of times, and neither had been a very serious discussion or had ended with any set plans for the future.

“I’m not getting rid of my dogs.”

“They will make wonderful outdoor pets.”

Will’s jaw clenched. “You can’t really expect me to leave my dogs outside all the time.”

Hannibal furrowed his brow slightly. “Why not?”

“Hannibal, I…” Will’s expression fell. He shook his head, furrowing his brow as deep concern crossed his face. “I thought we were moving forward,” he barely managed to choke out.

“We are,” Hannibal said evenly. “However, I am in a relationship with you, Will. Not your dogs.”

“I can’t believe this,” Will whispered, shaking his head as he stared down at the table.

Hannibal said nothing. Instead, he allowed the smile he had been repressing to creep across his lips. He waited for Will to stop panicking. After several seconds, the younger man looked up. His brow was furrowed and his eyes darted back and forth, searching Hannibal’s. But as Hannibal continued to smile, the concern disappeared from his face.

“You asshole,” Will said. But then a smile crossed his face as well.

Hannibal chuckled. “And, now, I am fairly certain that you understand how it feels to be teased.”

Will narrowed his eyes. “Well played, Doctor Lecter.”

Hannibal smiled. “Thank you.”

Will nodded towards Hannibal’s plate which still had a few bites left on it. “Are you going to finish that before I punish you or what?”

Hannibal lifted an eyebrow. “It is important that punishment be administered immediately so the punished party understands what they are being punished for.”

Will stood up from his seat. “I suppose it’s time to take you into the bedroom then.”

Hannibal smiled. “I suppose it is.” He got to his feet.

Will was on him in an instant, pushing Hannibal back against the wall. Will pressed his hips against Hannibal’s and firmly gripped Hannibal at the waist. “Are you sure you got enough to eat?”

“Yes, dear Will.” Hannibal smiled. “Believe me, I will not starve either way.”

“No,” Will said, giving Hannibal’s love handles a squeeze. “You’re certainly right about that.”

Hannibal chuckled, and then they moved into the small bedroom at the front of the boat. They both had their clothes off quickly – Hannibal slyly removing the rubber band from his pants before Will had a chance to find it – and climbed onto the bed. Will straddled Hannibal’s hips. He kissed and squeezed and nipped and pinched at the extra flesh on Hannibal’s midsection, sending small jolts of electricity throughout Hannibal’s entire body. When Will was finished showering Hannibal’s belly and love handles with affection, he remained on top of Hannibal, taking the lead as they moved together, finding their rhythm quickly and easily.

When they had finished, they remained in bed for a few minutes while they both caught their breath. Hannibal got up first, going to the bathroom and taking his clothes with him. He was able to get dressed – putting the rubber band fastening back in place – in privacy before returning to the bedroom. Will pulled his clothes back on and then they both returned to the top deck where they checked on the fishing rods.

They remained on the boat for a couple more hours, snacking every once in a while on the extra food Hannibal had brought along. Will caught three fish in that time, tucking them away in the cooler he had carried aboard. He pulled his phone out after the third fish but frowned when he looked at the screen.

“What’s wrong?” Hannibal asked.

“Nothing. It’s dead.” He tucked the phone into his pocket again. “Do you know what time it is?”

Hannibal pulled up the sleeve of his sweater and checked his watch. “Five-thirty.”

Will nodded and took a seat beside Hannibal. “We should probably head back soon. Before it gets dark.”

“Okay.”

Less than a half hour passed before Will suggested that it was time to leave. He had Hannibal pull up the anchor, and then Will showed him how to captain the boat. They moved slowly at first, and once Will thought Hannibal had gotten the hang of things, they picked up speed.

They docked a little more than an hour later. They retrieved their things from the boat and went ashore. Hannibal felt the lingering effects of the gently swaying boat in his legs, but it wasn’t severe.

As they drove home, Will reached over and wove his fingers between Hannibal’s. Hannibal glanced at him and smiled, feeling a pleasant fluttering in his stomach.

Chapter Text

Will felt rejuvenated after the relaxing day on the boat with Hannibal. The food and fishing had been peaceful, and Will was eager to see what kind of recipe Hannibal would use for dinner with the fish that they had caught.

While Hannibal began preparations on dinner, Will retrieved his phone from his pocket. It had died on the boat, and he decided to charge it. He didn’t have his own charger with him, so he went in search of Hannibal’s. The doctor often kept one by his bed, so Will went upstairs to find it. When he entered the bedroom, he went to the end table on Hannibal’s side of the bed. He pulled open the drawer and peered inside. There were note pads and pens and even a small battery-operated book light. He didn’t see the charger, but what was even more peculiar was the inordinate amount of rubber bands scattered atop the paper pads. Will furrowed his brow and plucked one from the drawer. He didn’t recall ever seeing Hannibal use rubber bands in the bedroom. If he used them at all, he did so in his office downstairs. Will couldn’t puzzle it out. Making a mental note to ask Hannibal about it later, he replaced the band and closed the drawer.

He still hadn’t found what he was looking for. He went downstairs again and into Hannibal’s office. There was no charger on his desk so he rummaged in the drawers, finding one in the bottom drawer alongside Hannibal’s tablet. Will pulled it out and plugged his phone in, leaving it in the office to charge. Then, he went to the kitchen to re-join Hannibal.

When Will walked in, the counter was neatly arranged with bowls of various ingredients. He could see that the fish had already been descaled and gutted and was laid out on a cutting board. Hannibal stood on the opposite side of the counter with his apron secured around his waist. Will loved the way the stark white fabric drew his attention to Hannibal’s middle. His sweater was relatively loose – at least not snug, or tight, like his waistcoats had become – but the apron was tied low on Hannibal’s belly, securing his sweater to his midsection in a way that made his small paunch much more obvious. Will moved around the counter to join Hannibal, noting that the doctor was still in the same trousers that he had worn all day.

Will had been surprised that morning when Hannibal had managed to squeeze into them. He didn’t think the doctor would be comfortable, but Hannibal hadn’t complained – or even looked to be in any discomfort – because of them for the entire day. But Will had half-expected Hannibal to change into his pajama pants when he got home so that he would be a little more relaxed. But Hannibal hadn’t. Will couldn’t imagine that Hannibal was comfortable at all in those pants. They were no doubt cinching his waist, and with the way he struggled to fasten them earlier that morning, Will doubted they were comfortable even to stand in, let alone sit down in.

“You didn’t change,” Will mused aloud.

Hannibal looked at him, raising his eyebrows in question.

“Your pants. I just thought you might.”

Hannibal smiled gently. “No need, Will.”

“Aren’t you uncomfortable?”

“I am fine.”

“But this morning…and all day…”

“Have I complained?” Hannibal asked, returning his attention to the fish on the counter.

“No, but how can they be comfortable? They were so snug that…” Will trailed off as pieces of the confusing puzzle fell into place.

Hannibal had struggled to fasten those pants just that morning. He had sent Will out of the room and when Will had returned, Hannibal had suddenly – as if by magic – gotten the pants on. Hannibal had been shy about letting Will touch his belly lately, but Will thought back over the few times that Hannibal had done that in the past week. Each time, it was when Hannibal had been squeezed into a tight pair of pants. Once he had the pants off – which Will couldn’t remember unfastening himself over the past week or so – Hannibal no longer seemed shy about Will touching him. And then there was the thing that finally put the whole puzzle into place.

The rubber bands.

Will smirked, eyeing Hannibal’s waist. “Oh, wow.”

Hannibal looked at him.

Will took a step forward and placed his hand to Hannibal’s belly where it rounded out at the top of the apron. He slowly slid his hand down and, just as he anticipated, Hannibal flinched. The doctor’s hands were covered in ingredients, and he quickly backed away from Will’s hand and grabbed a towel.

Will looked at him, suddenly understanding why the doctor had been so shy at Will’s touch over the last week. He hadn’t wanted Will to find out that he had been fastening his pants with rubber bands. Something about that sent warmth low into Will’s belly, and he found the front of his pants growing tighter.

“What’s wrong?” Will said, wondering when, or if, Hannibal would ever tell him the truth.

“I am making dinner, Will.”

“Mm-hmm. I see that. It looks good.” Will took a step forward, placing his hands on Hannibal’s stomach again. “And so do you.”

“Thank you, Will,” Hannibal said. He wrapped both of his hands around Will’s wrists, holding firmly.

Will smirked.

“What?” Hannibal asked.

“Nothing.” Will shook his head. “Nothing at all.”

Hannibal stared at him but didn’t let go of Will’s wrists.

“I was thinking,” Will said, offering a playful smile. “Once you get dinner in the oven, maybe we could fool around a bit.”

Hannibal lifted an eyebrow.

“I’m just saying, if we start as soon as you put dinner in the oven, it won’t get cold that way. We’d have plenty of time.”

Hannibal let his eyes wander away momentarily. He looked at the fish on the counter and then returned his gaze to Will. “I better get back to work, then.”

Will chuckled. “Go.”

Hannibal smiled, releasing Will’s wrists and moving back to the counter where he continued preparing dinner. Will watched from the end of the counter, contributing minimally as Hannibal asked him to.

Will was curious to see where the night would lead. He was sure that Hannibal would want to return to the bedroom, but Will had other plans in mind. If Hannibal insisted on hiding things from him, Will was certainly going to have his fun in revealing the truth.

Hannibal seemed to have picked up the pace, and it wasn’t long before he slid the dish into the oven. Will watched him closely, wondering how Hannibal would try to hide his adorable little secret this time.

Will grinned when Hannibal turned towards him. “Get that apron off, Doctor.”

Hannibal smiled. “Why don’t you go on upstairs. I will be right behind you.”

There it was. Will let the knowing smile overtake his features, but he refrained from chuckling. He stalked around the end of the counter, narrowing predatory eyes on Hannibal. “Why don’t you get that damn apron off right now.”

Hannibal remained in place, the corners of his lips turning up, no doubt amused – or possibly aroused – by Will’s boldness. Will stalked closer, and when he reached Hannibal, the doctor tilted his head slightly.

“Will,” Hannibal began.

But Will cut him off. “Now, Doctor Lecter.” Will put his hands on Hannibal’s sides at his waist. He stepped closer, pressing his body against Hannibal’s as he slid his hands around to Hannibal’s lower back. He leaned in and pressed his lips to the side of Hannibal’s neck as he untied the apron, pulling it off and tossing it on the counter.

Will pulled back a little, and Hannibal lifted his hands, placing them on Will’s biceps. Will smiled, taking the opportunity to slide his hands around to Hannibal’s front as the doctor rubbed Will’s upper arms. Will smoothed a hand over Hannibal’s belly, feeling the softness over the strong core beneath. He slid his hand down farther, and that’s when Hannibal squeezed his upper arms. It didn’t hurt, but the grip was tight enough that it forced Will to still his hands.

“What?” Will asked, looking up from Hannibal’s waist.

“Go on upstairs, Will. I will be there shortly.”

“No,” Will said bluntly.

Hannibal’s brow furrowed slightly. “I thought you wanted to have sex.”

“I do.”

“I have a few things I need to take care of first.”

“Then, I’ll stay here with you.”

Hannibal exhaled audibly.

“Besides, I’d like to take you right here.”

Hannibal lifted an eyebrow, his curiosity and arousal no doubt overshadowing his annoyance.

“And I want to do it now, Hannibal. Not in twenty minutes. Not after you’ve taken care of things. Now.”

Hannibal stared at him. There was a tightness to his features. Not the same tightness caused by anger or frustration. No, his expression seemed to be one of a man trying to lie his way out of an uncomfortable situation. Will waited him out, and after a few seconds, Hannibal’s features relaxed.

“I am not sure the kitchen is the best place to engage in sexual activity.”

“Since when?” Will asked.

“Since always.”

“What about that time that we had sex in the chair in the corner.”

“That was different.”

“How?” Will asked, a little amused at how long Hannibal was willing to play the game.

“Will,” Hannibal began, a frustrated tone to his voice. “Please, go upstairs.”

“No.”

Hannibal growled.

Will grinned. He had always found Hannibal’s growls to be arousing, even when the doctor was irritated.

“If you would like to have sex, we will do so upstairs, and I will meet you shortly.”

Will twisted his arms, unsure if Hannibal would let go. But he did. Will placed his hands on Hannibal’s sides, gripping the small love handles. “If you want to have sex with me, you will do it right here. Right now.”

The two of them stared at one another, waiting each other out. Will had all the time in the world, and the upper hand. He cocked an eyebrow, waiting for Hannibal to make his decision.

“Very well,” Hannibal said evenly after several silent moments had passed.

Will smiled. “Great.” He moved his hands around to Hannibal’s stomach again. But when he neared the bottom of Hannibal’s sweater, the doctor snatched his wrists one more time. “Stop,” Will urged.

“I just remembered something I forgot to do.”

Will rolled his eyes, letting out a heavy sigh. “What?” Will asked, starting to feel annoyance bubble in his chest. He could understand Hannibal’s shyness about the rubber band fastening, but Will was a little irritated – and slightly hurt – that Hannibal would go to such lengths to keep it a secret from him.

“I will be right back,” Hannibal said, letting go of Will’s wrists and walking around him.

Will spun and followed. “Hannibal,” he barked.

Hannibal came to a stop just inside the dining room. He turned around to face Will.

“Come back in here.”

Hannibal tilted his head, narrowing his eyes slightly. But he didn’t return. “What is it, Will?”

“What did you forget to do?”

“Nothing with which you need to concern yourself.”

“Come back in here now, or my offer is off the table.”

Hannibal remained in place, but his expression softened. “Will—”

“You can take the damn rubber band off your pants just as well in here as you can upstairs.”

Hannibal flinched at that.

Will took a few steps closer. Hannibal straightened up, rolling his shoulders back in what Will assumed was an attempt to remain confident. But his face betrayed him. It wasn’t obvious – or at least it wouldn’t have been to anyone else – but Will could see the hint of insecurity in Hannibal’s eyes. It was the same look Hannibal had had when he had first begun to put on weight. Will felt an ache in his chest at the look, and his frustration with Hannibal’s lies suddenly dissipated.

“Hannibal,” Will offered gently. “It’s fine.”

“How did you know?”

“Well, you were pretty damn good at hiding it for a while.” Will smirked. “But I was looking for your charger earlier and opened the drawer on your bedside table.”

“I see.” Hannibal let his gaze fall. “I had not found the right time to tell you.”

Will smiled gently, closing the gap between them. He placed his hands on Hannibal’s waist and squeezed. “You should know by now that you can tell me anything. Any time.”

“Yes” was all Hannibal said.

“Why did you hide this from me?”

Hannibal offered a wry smile. “I am not exactly proud of this.”

Will lifted a hand to cup Hannibal’s face, rubbing a thumb over his cheekbone. “It’s nothing to be embarrassed about. You just need to go to the tailor.”

“That may be part of the reason I did not tell you about this before.”

“You didn’t tell me about it now. I figured it out on my own. But what do you mean?”

“I knew you would urge me to see my tailor.”

Will furrowed his brow. “What’s wrong with that?”

“I am not ready for that.”

Will shook his head, confused. “I don’t understand.”

“Don’t you?” Hannibal tilted his head.

Will let his eyes wander away. He supposed he did. Despite Hannibal having gotten used to his recent weight gain, he had been a bit insecure about it at first. Will knew it would also take some time for Hannibal to get used to the fact that he had gained enough weight to outgrow his clothing. It was simple vanity at its best.

“I guess I do,” Will said gently. He slid his hand around to the back of Hannibal’s neck, weaving his fingertips into Hannibal’s hair. He leaned in and brushed his lips against the doctor’s mouth.

Hannibal placed gentle hands on Will’s waist. After a few moments, Will pulled back and Hannibal said, “I appreciate your patience with me.”

Will smiled, looking at Hannibal’s face. He wore a small, relieved smile, but Will detected the vulnerability in his eyes.

“I will always be patient with you,” Will said, and he meant it. “As long as you stop lying to me.”

Hannibal nodded once.

Will kissed him again and then whispered, “Can I see it?”

Hannibal lifted his eyebrows.

“No, not that. Well, yes, that too, in a bit. I meant the rubber band, though.”

A sheepish smile crossed Hannibal’s lips. Then, he nodded again.

Will grinned and then lowered his gaze, and his hands, to Hannibal’s waist. His sweater still covered the top of his pants, and Will pinched the hem between two fingers. As he lifted the fabric, he heard Hannibal take in a deep breath.

When Hannibal’s sweater was pulled up, Will had a clear view of Hannibal’s trousers. They were the same black trousers he had worn all day. The same trousers he had struggled to squeeze into that morning. The same trousers Will had seen Hannibal wear – without trouble – numerous times in the past. But they were different. Now, they were fastened with a rubber band. A rubber band that was snaked through the button hole and looped around the button. A rubber band that was tan in color – a stark contrast to the black pants it stretched to hold together. There was a gap between the sides of the pants that was at least the width of two fingers, and the zipper was only pulled up halfway, revealing a V-shaped sliver of Hannibal’s navy blue boxer-briefs beneath.

Because of the stretchy, makeshift fastening, Hannibal’s pants were not as tight as they could have been. But despite that, the waistband was still snug, cinching Hannibal’s waist in a way that only proved to arouse Will. He pulled the sweater up a little more, past Hannibal’s navel. He put his hand to the soft flesh of Hannibal’s belly, squeezing the small paunch that formed above his waistband. Then, he moved his hand to Hannibal’s side, pinching the love handle that bulged out over the side of his pants.

Hannibal was no longer a thin man. He had completely filled out, even adding a little extra weight. But despite the pounds Hannibal had put on, Will knew he was not quite as thick or heavy as he looked in that moment. And although the rubber band gave him more room, the pants were so tight on Hannibal that the extra weight around his middle had nowhere to go but up and over his waistband. And while Will found it absolutely gorgeous, he couldn’t imagine that it was comfortable. Or particularly reassuring for Hannibal’s vanity.

“You know, if you went up a size or two,” Will began. “Or three,” he added with a smirk.

Hannibal narrowed his eyes.

“I’m just saying that if you got some clothes that actually fit you, not only would you be more comfortable, but you’d certainly look thinner too.”

Hannibal tilted his head, and Will could see the way his jaw clenched.

“What?”

Hannibal methodically grabbed a hold of Will’s wrists and removed his hands from Hannibal’s body. His shirt sank to his waistband, and Hannibal let go of Will to tug the hem down over the top of his pants. Then, he turned on his heels and walked away.

Shit. “Hannibal.”

“I am going to my study, Will. I have some things to do.”

Will shook his head but followed the doctor.

Hannibal went into his home office and started to close the door until he realized that Will was right behind him. He put one hand on the door frame and held onto the door with the other, effectively blocking Will from entering. “I will be busy until dinner, Will.”

“No, you won’t.”

“Will, please let me work.”

Will sighed. “Hannibal, I didn’t mean that the way it sounded.”

“Nevertheless, I have things—”

“Stop,” Will urged. “I’m trying to talk to you.”

Hannibal pushed off the door frame and retreated into his office. He left the door open, though, and Will followed him in. Hannibal stopped in the middle of the floor and turned to face Will.

Will approached him slowly. “You are gorgeous, Hannibal. You know how I feel about your body. But I know why you don’t want to go to the tailor, and I get that.”

“What do you get, Will?”

Will shrugged a shoulder. “You’re used to being fit. Thin, even. I understand that. It’s a big change.”

Hannibal narrowed his eyes.

“And there’s nothing wrong with that change,” Will added quickly. “But you already know that.”

“Is there a point to this?”

Will let out a heavy sigh. “It seems like you don’t want to go to the tailor because you would like to pretend as though you haven’t gotten too big for your pants. Hannibal, you are spilling over your waistband.”

Hannibal growled quietly.

“That’s not a bad thing. Not to me, at least. You know how sexy I find that. But you are trying to pretend that that’s not the case. All I was saying was that if you sized up, into pants that actually fit you, you’d look thinner, as though you haven’t gained enough weight to bulge out over your pants.”

“I see,” Hannibal said, a dull edge to his voice.

Will closed the gap between them. “I would like for you to be comfortable, but I love how you look. Thin, not thin, it doesn’t matter to me.”

He reached out to put his hands on Hannibal’s waist, but Hannibal grabbed him by the wrists, stopping him.

Will didn’t fight him. “All I meant was that if you are so set on giving into your vanity at the moment, better-fitting pants might give you a look that’s a little closer to what you have been used to for most of your life.”

Hannibal loosened his grip.

Will slid his wrists free and lifted a hand, placing it on Hannibal’s cheek. He leaned in, kissing him gently on the lips. “I love you, Hannibal,” he whispered.

Hannibal exhaled softly, his features softening. Will knew he had effectively disarmed the doctor in that moment. “I love you too, William.”

Will smiled. “However, if you insist on wearing your old pants, I am all for that too.” He smirked and lowered his hands, gripping Hannibal’s small love handles.

“Thank you, Will.” He lifted a hand and brushed the backs of his fingers across Will’s cheek. “I am not entirely sure I agree with your assessment of my body, however.”

Will lifted his eyebrows. “No?”

“I would not say that I am spilling over my waistband.”

Will chuckled. “Okay, maybe that was the wrong choice of words.” He moved a hand around to Hannibal’s front, gently caressing his small paunch. “But your tight pants are giving you a bit more bulge than you tend to have when pantless.” He pinched the extra flesh. “And more bulge than you would have in pants that actually fit you, as well.”

Hannibal narrowed his eyes, growling deep in his throat. But his facial muscles remained relaxed, and Will knew that he was not genuinely upset.

Will smiled. “I love your body, Hannibal. Always.”

Hannibal returned the smile, tucking a lock of Will’s hair behind his ear.

“Now,” Will began, “can we go have sex in the kitchen?”

Hannibal chuckled softly. “I would love nothing more.”

Chapter Text

A few days had passed since Will had discovered the secret to Hannibal's pants fastening. After sex in the kitchen and his initial discomfort, Hannibal had grown much more secure with his body and the rubber band he used to fasten his pants. He no longer shied away from Will's touch, and he no longer had a problem with Will seeing or touching or unfastening the rubber band. Will seemed glad. It was the way Hannibal squeezed into a pair of pants that he couldn't fit into properly that caused Will's pupils to dilate and seemed to arouse him beyond belief.

The two of them continued on as normal – Hannibal indulging to his heart's content, and Will showing him just how attractive he found him. Will had stopped bringing up the suggestion of visiting a tailor, and Hannibal was pleased with that.

But after dinner one evening, Will and Hannibal had gone upstairs to the bedroom. They got undressed separately, Will walking to his dresser and Hannibal going to the bed to remove his shoes. They had just eaten a big dinner – as usual – complete with dessert. Hannibal felt the strain of his overstuffed belly against the top of his pants, and he was glad for the elasticity and extra room the rubber band allowed. But his pants still felt tight. Tighter than usual, and tighter than he ever remembered them feeling before.

As Hannibal sat down on the edge of the bed, he had the fleeting thought that perhaps he had put on a little more weight. He chased the thought from his mind, instead choosing to believe that he had simply eaten more than usual and was slightly more bloated than his typical meals left him.

But as he leaned forward and bent down to untie his shoes, he felt a snap against his lower stomach. He rose up and pulled the hem of his sweater out of the way, revealing the evidence of his continued weight gain. The broken rubber band fell into his lap, and his fly hung wide open. His stomach looked particularly round in the sitting position, and while his pants had been halfway zipped moments before, his freed belly had forced his zipper the rest of the way down. Hannibal sighed, putting a hand to the paunch that was cradled in the wide V of his open fly.

"Did you just..."

Hannibal looked up at Will who stared at him with his mouth hanging open.

"I believe so."

Will's pupils dilated, and he walked over to the bed. He had only gotten halfway changed, wearing a pair of pajama pants but holding his t-shirt in his hands. He tossed his shirt onto the bed and sat down beside Hannibal. He reached over and removed Hannibal's hand from his belly. Then, Will placed his own palm over Hannibal's round paunch, squeezing a handful.

"Oh, wow," Will muttered, a gentle smile spreading across his face. Then he met Hannibal's gaze and gently said, "Are you sure it's not time to size up?"

"It was simply a large meal. And perhaps a weak rubber band."

Will smirked, and Hannibal shot him a glare.

Will rubbed Hannibal's bare belly. "Tell me why you don't want to go to the tailor."

"We have been over this."

"Sort of. But I want to hear your reasoning from you."

Hannibal let his gaze wander away as he thought over his reason for procrastinating on a visit to his tailor. "I did not give myself permission for this."

Will furrowed his brow. "What do you mean?"

"I didn't intend to gain weight. And I didn't intend to cast aside my workouts. It seemed to happen on its own, without my consent."

"And you feel like you have no control over it."

"I did forfeit control in that area."

Will shrugged a shoulder. "You're comfortable. It's all right."

Hannibal looked at Will, only a little surprised at how cavalier he seemed about the idea of losing control.

"I know it's important to you -- being in control of literally everything -- but things happen. You and I got together, and you became more comfortable, right?"

"I became lazier."

Will chuckled softly. "You are far from lazy, Doctor Lecter."

"I became lazy with my workouts."

"I don’t think it was a matter of laziness. You wanted to spend more time with me, right? And I want that to. Something had to give. Besides..." He paused to lightly pinch at the roll beneath Hannibal's navel. "I love what your supposed laziness has done for you." Will winked at him at the use of Hannibal's term. "And there's no shame in admitting that you've gained weight. Or that it's time to, perhaps, get some larger pants."

"It is nothing short of admitting defeat."

“Defeat,” Will repeated with a roll of his eyes. “Don't be ridiculous. It's just admitting that you want to be comfortable because you're sure as hell not going to lose weight because you know how much your boyfriend loves it on you. Plus,” he added, leaning in and pressing his lips to the side of Hannibal’s neck. “You can take control now. Decide what you want to do and then do it. You’ll have your control back. Problem solved.”

Will had a point. Hannibal wasn't particularly upset about the extra weight itself. No, what bothered him was the lack of control. But Will was right -- Hannibal had simply become more comfortable in his life with Will, and his body had begun to reflect that. He wasn't going to stop spending as much time with Will as he could, and he knew that that meant he would need to visit a tailor soon. He simply needed to make a decision regarding what he was going to do about it. But, despite having just snapped the rubber band on his pants, he thought he still had a little more time before visiting the tailor became an absolute necessity.

"Soon," Hannibal said.

Will smiled, running his hand over Hannibal's bloated abdomen. "Okay."

Chapter Text

The following day proceeded in a similar fashion. Hannibal had gone to work with his pants fastened, once again, with a rubber band. He had mostly put the situation out of his head, but every time he stood up or sat down when he was with a patient, he had felt the strain of his waistband and wondered if the rubber band would hold. Despite having claimed to Will that the rubber band he snapped had simply been weak, Hannibal knew that wasn’t the case. And a part of him felt uneasy at the prospect of having a band snap in front of a patient.

But Hannibal finished his work day without incident. He returned home to fix dinner, and Will arrived a short time later. They had dinner and spent a little time together at the piano, where Hannibal played and Will listened from a nearby seat as he read a book on the history of war in Italy. It seemed to grow late quickly, and the two of them went upstairs to prepare for bed.

Hannibal undressed, re-hanging his waistcoat and trousers. He was running low on his looser pants – ones which were big enough not to constantly snap rubber bands – so he had taken to wearing that particular size of pants a couple of times a week before washing them. He wasn’t particularly proud of the new habit, but the pants weren’t necessarily dirty, and he knew it was simply a temporary fix. A habit he would only keep up until the day he decided to accept the changes to his body and go to the tailor.

He finished changing clothes for the evening, ending up in a pair of pajama pants that had begun to feel a little snug around his backside. The fabric clung to his rear end, and with the way Will had begun to stare recently, Hannibal assumed the snugness was quite obvious.

Hannibal carried the rubber band he had removed from his dress pants. He walked to the edge of the bed and opened the drawer of his bedside table, preparing to drop the rubber band inside with all of the others he kept on hand. But when he pulled the drawer open, he was surprised at what he saw.

“What is this?” Hannibal asked Will without looking at him. He dropped the rubber band into the drawer and plucked a second one out from the pile. It was the same tan as the rest of the bands in the drawer, but it was new. And Hannibal knew it. There were several more bands in the drawer, and like the one he held, the new ones were all much larger than Hannibal’s original rubber bands.

“I thought they would give you a little more room.”

Hannibal clenched his jaw, looking over his shoulder at Will who approached slowly.

“What?” Will asked. He reached the doctor, placing his hands on Hannibal’s waist from behind. “I just wasn’t sure when you were going to visit the tailor. I didn’t want you snapping your old rubber bands left and right. I figured these would give you a little more breathing room.”

“I do not need rubber bands this size, Will.”

Will chuckled, resting his chin on Hannibal’s shoulder. He snaked his arms around Hannibal’s waist, resting his palms on Hannibal’s small paunch. “You sure about that?”

“Yes. The band I snapped was a fluke.”

Will kissed the side of Hannibal’s neck. “So, you haven’t gained more weight?”

“No. Of course not.”

“Oh. Right. Of course not.” Will squeezed Hannibal’s belly, getting two handfuls of the pudge. “Hmm. So, this belly is the same size as when you first started using the rubber bands on your pants?”

“Yes,” Hannibal lied, not bothering to mask the indignation he felt.

“And these love handles,” Will began, sliding his hands to Hannibal’s sides above his waistband. “They haven’t gotten any bigger either?”

“No, Will.”

Will chuckled.

Hannibal growled.

Will squeezed Hannibal’s bare sides where they both knew he had gotten a little fleshier over the past couple of weeks. “You don’t have to use the new rubber bands, Hannibal. I just wanted you to have options. And be more comfortable.”

Hannibal grumbled and dropped the new, much larger rubber band back into the drawer. He closed it harder than intended.

“Is someone pouting?” Will asked, nuzzling the side of Hannibal’s neck.

“I don’t pout.”

Will snorted and then laughed fully.

Hannibal grabbed Will’s hands and removed them from his sides, feeling mildly offended. He turned to the bed and threw the blankets back. Then, he got into bed and settled down on his back, pulling the blankets up to his waist.

Will chuckled as he walked around to his side of the bed. He got under the blankets beside Hannibal and rolled onto his side to face him.

“Goodnight, Will.”

Will seemed to ignore the irritation in Hannibal’s voice. He nestled closer to Hannibal and placed his hand on Hannibal’s stomach.

“Everything about you is perfect, Hannibal.”

“I am not feeling self-conscious, Will.”

“No, of course not.”

Hannibal turned his head to look at Will who seemed to be trying to keep a knowing smile at bay. Hannibal narrowed his eyes and returned his focus to the ceiling.

“Like I said, everything about you is perfect. Even the way you pout.”

Hannibal closed his eyes, feeling the irritation spread throughout his body.

“And also, like I said, you don’t have to use the bands if you don’t want to. Or don’t need to, as you claimed. But it’s good to be prepared, just in case.”

“Just in case,” Hannibal repeated.

Will hummed his agreement. Then, Hannibal felt Will’s lips on his stomach, just above his navel.

Hannibal opened his eyes, looking down at Will who was focused on Hannibal’s midsection. Will squeezed a handful of Hannibal’s soft side and continued planting kisses on his belly.

Hannibal lifted his hand and wove his fingers into Will’s hair. Will looked up at him, and Hannibal offered a small smile. Will returned the gesture, resting his head on Hannibal’s belly and nuzzling the plush skin.

They went to sleep that way, and the next morning, neither spoke of the larger rubber band incident. But as they both got dressed, Hannibal debated for only a few moments before snatching a larger rubber band from the drawer and using it to fasten his pants. He heard Will chuckle softly from across the room, and then a few seconds later, the younger man’s hands were on Hannibal’s waist, promising that Hannibal would be more comfortable with the new bands.

Hannibal kissed him goodbye and went off to work. And to Will’s credit, the rubber band did provide Hannibal with more breathing room, and Hannibal had to admit – to himself, anyway – that he was much more comfortable as he sat across from his patients throughout the day.

Chapter Text

Another week had passed since Hannibal had begun using the larger rubber bands that Will had slipped into the drawer of his bedside table. They had worked very well, providing Hannibal with much more comfort and relief than the previous, smaller rubber bands which had begun to get a little too snug.

Hannibal and Will had finished breakfast one morning on the weekend. Will had gone to take a shower as Hannibal had worked on cleaning up the kitchen. He had gone back upstairs to change clothes – having gotten into the habit of wearing sweaters and pajama pants to the breakfast table – and that’s when he saw it.

Laid out on Hannibal’s side of the bed was a pair of black dress pants with a dark gray, plaid pattern that Hannibal didn’t recognize. He thought, at first, that they must be Will’s pants, but for one, he didn’t recall Will having any pants like those, and for two, as Hannibal eyed the waistband, he could tell that the pants were clearly too large for Will’s slender frame.

Hannibal heard the faint click of the bathroom door. When the scent of Will’s shampoo wafted into his nose, Hannibal turned to see Will enter the room.

“What are these?” Hannibal asked.

Will smiled. “I bought a pair of pants for you, just in case.”

“In case of what?”

“In case the rubber bands stop working before you get to the tailor. We both know that day is coming.”

Hannibal narrowed his eyes. He wanted to be indignant, but Will knew as well as Hannibal did that the latter had not stopped gaining weight. Nevertheless, he was not sure that a random pair of pants would suit him even if he outgrew his current pants. And rubber bands.

“I appreciate the gesture, Will. However, these pants are not tailored to my specifications.”

“Fat-pants are not something you get tailored, Hannibal.”

Hannibal looked at Will again, raising his eyebrows. “What-pants?”

“Fat…” Will said, trailing off. He cleared his throat.

“Fat-pants,” Hannibal repeated, putting extra emphasis on the first part.

Will shrugged a shoulder, offering a sheepish smile that only irritated Hannibal more. “That’s what people call them.”

Hannibal clenched his jaw. “Call what exactly?”

Will waved a hand towards the pants lying neatly on the bed. “You know…pants you buy as back-ups when you start to gain weight.”

Hannibal rolled his shoulders back a little, narrowing his eyes at Will. “I did not just start gaining weight.”

“No, I know. That’s why I thought it was pretty important to get you some fat-pants as soon as possible.”

“Will, I do not appreciate you referring to the pants I wear as ‘fat-pants.’”

“Well, you haven’t exactly started wearing them yet, so…”

“Nor do I plan to.” Hannibal walked to the edge of the bed and picked up the pair of pants. He folded them into a neat square and held them out towards Will. “I would like for you to return them.”

“I know you’ve been using the bigger rubber bands, but Hannibal, those are only going to last so long. You might want a bigger pair of back-up pants, just in case.”

“Will, we have discussed this,” Hannibal said, practically barking. “I will go to the tailor when I am ready.”

“Okay, okay.”

“And I would prefer not to see anymore non-tailored pants in my house.”

Will smirked. “My pants aren’t tailored.”

Hannibal growled quietly. “For me, Will. I don’t want to see anymore non-tailored pants for me. Now, if you wouldn’t mind, I’d like for you to take these.”

Will sighed and shook his head. He stepped forward and took the neatly-folded pants from Hannibal. “I am only trying to help,” Will offered.

“By suggesting that I have gotten fat.”

Will let out an exasperated sigh. “You’re not fat, Hannibal. Thick, yes, A bit chubby, yes. But even if you were fat, you’d still be gorgeous. There’s nothing wrong with any of that.”

“Nevertheless,” Hannibal began. He knew there was nothing wrong with it, but a part of him felt offended anyway. He was tired of having the same discussion with Will. He would size up when he was good and ready. He tilted his head, looking Will squarely in the eyes. “I don’t want the pants.”

Will smirked, staring back at Hannibal. “What if I called them sexy-pants instead?” He lifted an eyebrow.

Hannibal narrowed his eyes, but he didn’t feel as annoyed as he wanted Will to believe he was. He felt a smile start to pull up the corners of his mouth, and he turned away. As he walked to his closet, he heard Will chuckle quietly behind him, and he knew the younger man had detected the hint of his smile.

Chapter Text

Will sat on the edge of the bed, tying his shoes. When he finished, he looked up to see Hannibal in his closet. He wore a rust-colored dress shirt that was tucked into a pair of dark brown pants that he was struggling to fasten around his waist. For some reason Will hadn’t figured out, Hannibal always tried at least once to fasten his pants without the use of a rubber band, as if he thought he may have lost a few pounds overnight. Will shook his head, watching as the doctor sucked in his little paunch and tugged the two sides of the pants together. There was a good-sized gap between the sides that had increased noticeably over the past several weeks. And when Hannibal couldn’t get the pants closed, he let go of his waistband, huffing quietly.

Will smirked. He watched as Hannibal re-entered the bedroom, walking to his bedside table near Will with his fly hanging open. He retrieved a rubber band from the drawer, and Will could see that it was one of the larger bands. He stood by the bed as he looped the band through his button hole. But when he stretched the band to loop around the button, the straining was obvious and a moment later, the band snapped. Hannibal growled.

Will lifted his eyebrows. Despite Hannibal’s continued weight gain, the larger rubber bands had been working well for him. Will hadn’t seen one of the larger bands snap before, but he knew he shouldn’t have been as surprised as he was. Hannibal’s habits had remained the same. The lack of exercise and the overindulging multiple times a day had only proved to steadily expand Hannibal’s midsection – and thighs and chest, and even his face was starting to look a little fuller. And as Will looked at him now, with his pants hanging undone and his belly rounding out heavily at the opening, his previous assessment of stocky suddenly changed to chubby. The crotch of Will’s pants grew tighter. And he couldn’t take his eyes off Hannibal’s belly, studying the way his shirt had become snug – almost tight even – the fabric of which had begun to cling to the chub on his belly and sides.

Hannibal retrieved a second rubber band from the drawer. He sucked in his stomach that time and worked to thread the band through the button hole. He held his belly in as he looped the end of the band around his button, effectively fastening his pants. He slowly relaxed his abdomen, his paunch expanding, completely filling out his shirt and causing it to round out above his waistband. But Will kept his eyes on the rubber band fastening, which stretched wider as Hannibal’s belly relaxed and expanded. When his belly was at its full size again, the band was stretched out, but it held.

“Maybe that last one was a fluke too,” Will said, grinning up at Hannibal.

“I’m sure of it,” Hannibal said, offering a wink.

Will chuckled, and Hannibal returned to his closet. He retrieved a waistcoat from a hanger and Will watched as he pulled it on. He was turned sideways and Will stared at the way his belly formed a rounded paunch in front of him. Hannibal went to work buttoning the waistcoat. He fastened the top two buttons easily. The third button seemed to give him a little trouble, but he got it fastened and moved on. The fourth button was where the real difficulty began. Hannibal tugged the sides of the waistcoat towards one another, but they wouldn’t meet. He tried a couple times, letting out a heavy sigh.

“You might need to suck it in a bit,” Will suggested.

Hannibal looked at Will. “Thank you.”

Will chuckled. “I’m loving that little paunch.”

“I don’t have a paunch.”

Will snorted but said nothing else, watching as Hannibal sucked in his stomach. He worked to fasten the fourth button and worked even more to fasten the final button. When he had finished, he turned towards Will and ran a hand over the front of the waistcoat.

“I’m in.”

Will chuckled. “Yes, you are.” He eyed the way the buttons of the waistcoat strained against Hannibal’s evident belly. And straight on as he was, Will could see that Hannibal’s love handles had finally become noticeable beneath all that fabric. He smiled at the sight.

Hannibal retrieved a pair of shoes from his closet and walked to the edge of the bed where he sat down beside Will. He had barely taken his seat when he exhaled heavily.

“What?”

Hannibal leaned forward to set his shoes on the floor. Then, he straightened up, pulling the bottom of his waistcoat up to reveal the snapped rubber band that was threaded through his button hole but was no longer attached to the button. Hannibal’s pants hung wide open again, his belly settling somewhat heavily over the waistband.

“Oh,” Will uttered.

Hannibal unwound the snapped rubber band from his button hole and tossed it on the bedside table.

“Are you going to try another one?”

“I am not sure it would be of any more use than the previous two.”

Will eyed Hannibal’s belly, studying the way the fabric pulled tightly around the buttons of his waistcoat. Will reached out a hand and gently pressed his palm against the small paunch. “I’m not sure how much longer these buttons are going to last.”

Hannibal shot him a glare but then he let out a sigh as his expression softened. “You may be right.”

Will offered a small smile. “It’s sexy, Hannibal. You are sexy.”

“Thank you, Will. I appreciate your desire, but that does not help me fit into my clothes.”

“You don’t need to fit into these clothes.”

“I must disagree. I have appointments all day, Will. I need to be able to wear my clothes without popping a button or snapping a rubber band.”

“I know you hate when I bring this up, but maybe you could go to the tailor this morning.”

Hannibal shook his head. “I have an eight o’clock appointment. I don’t have time.”

Will nodded slowly, another suggestion coming to mind. If Hannibal disliked the notion of visiting his tailor, he certainly wasn’t going to like Will’s next suggestion. Will hesitated, gently rubbing Hannibal’s paunch as he debated whether or not to bring up what was on his mind.

But he didn’t have to. A moment later, it was as if Hannibal had read his thoughts.

“Do you still have those…”

Will lifted an eyebrow. “Those what?”

Hannibal looked at him, tilting his head slightly. The look in his eyes screamed “Please don’t make me say it.”

“Oh,” Will said, letting the grin take over his face. “You mean the sexy-pants I bought for you?”

Hannibal nodded once, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly. “Yes.”

“You told me to return them.”

“But you didn’t.”

Will smirked. “Why would you think that?”

“Because I know you.”

“Just as I know you,” Will said, chuckling softly. “And just as I knew you would come around to the idea of these fat—er, sexy-pants.”

Hannibal narrowed his eyes for a moment, and then his features softened again. “I suppose we know each other well.”

Will smiled. “I suppose we do.” He gave Hannibal’s little paunch a pat and then got up from the bed. He walked to his dresser and opened a drawer, digging to the bottom where he found the pair of fat-pants he had bought for Hannibal. Before he closed the drawer, he eyed the black sweatpants off to one side. He hadn’t worn them in several weeks, and they were still neatly folded in his bottom drawer. He straightened up and turned to look at Hannibal. “Did you go through my drawer a few weeks back?”

The corners of Hannibal’s mouth turned up. “Why would you think that?”

“Because there is one single pair of pants in my drawer that looks to have been folded by someone obsessed with order.” Will smirked. “You did, didn’t you?”

“I shall never tell.” Hannibal got to his feet.

A realization struck Will, and he gasped. “Oh my God, you tried them on, didn’t you?”

“May I have those pants or not?” Hannibal reached a hand out, eyeing the fat-pants Will held.

“You did. You tried them on. You tried on my sweatpants!”

“Will.”

Will laughed. “Oh, wow.” He handed the plaid pants to Hannibal and asked, “How did they look?”

“Ill-fitting.”

Will chuckled more. “I’m sorry I missed that.”

Hannibal glared but didn’t look genuinely annoyed. Then, he returned to his closet where he began to undress. He removed the waistcoat and hung it up.

“Aw, no. You’re not going to wear the waistcoat?”

“If I pop a button, I would prefer not to do so in front of a patient.”

“Yeah, do that in front of me instead. I don’t want to miss that too.” Will waited for the doctor to glare at him again, but instead, Hannibal let out a small chuckle. Will grinned.

Hannibal removed his dress shirt and pants, returning them to their hangers. He stood in the closet in his boxer-briefs, his bare midsection looking thick and soft. Will walked to the closet door and leaned against the frame.

“You could just go like that.”

Hannibal smiled at him. “I believe I will save this look for you as well.”

Will chuckled. “Good idea.”

Hannibal pulled on the new, much bigger pair of pants that Will had bought for him. They may not have been tailored, but when Hannibal pulled them up, they slid over his thighs and backside with no resistance. And when he grabbed the sides of the pants to fasten them, he didn’t even have to suck in his stomach to get the button to close. He turned to the mirror and rotated a bit, getting a look at himself in the pants from various angles. He didn’t exactly smile, but he didn’t look irritated or unhappy either, and Will decided to count that as a win.

“Sexy-pants, indeed,” Will said, bouncing his eyebrows when he caught Hannibal’s gaze in the mirror.

Hannibal smiled and walked to the row of sweaters in his closet. He plucked a black sweater from a hanger and pulled it on. It was snug, framing his paunch in a way that made him appear big and warm. Will absolutely adored the look.

Hannibal placed a hand to his tummy at the fullest part where it pressed gently against the fabric of his sweater, forcing it to round out at his middle. “You didn’t happen to buy any fat-sweaters as well, did you?”

Will let out a soft laugh. “No.” He walked up behind Hannibal and wrapped his arms around the doctor’s thicker waist. He placed his hands on Hannibal’s paunch, rubbing gently. He kissed Hannibal’s cheek and then rested his chin on Hannibal’s shoulder. “But I can.”

Hannibal let out a soft sigh and leaned back into Will’s embrace. Will nuzzled Hannibal’s cheek, lightly squeezing the pudge on his belly. Hannibal put his hands over Will’s but he didn’t stop him. He rubbed the backs of Will’s hands and arms and then softly said, “Please do.”

Chapter Text

Will had gotten Hannibal a few larger sweaters as promised, as well as a couple extra pairs of what Will loved to call “fat-pants.” While knowing that there was nothing inherently wrong with being fat, Hannibal loathed the term “fat-pants” nonetheless. But despite his aversion to Will’s terminology, he wore the pants anyway. They fit surprisingly well for not being tailored and were much more comfortable than his own pants had become. He lasted a couple of weeks in the larger clothes before he decided that he was ready to make a change.

It was early morning on the weekend, and Hannibal stood in his bathroom after having taken a shower. He had a towel wrapped around his waist as he looked into the mirror. His belly and love handles had grown significantly, but he wasn’t bothered by that. In fact, he wasn’t bothered by any of the weight or inches he had added, knowing that despite his chubby state – another term Will had enjoyed throwing around but one which Hannibal didn’t mind – he was still healthy and strong.

However, despite being well aware of how thick he had gotten around the middle, as well as his thighs and backside, he was a little preoccupied that morning as he looked into the mirror, studying the way his face had filled out as well.

It wasn’t as though he hadn’t recognized his fuller cheeks and the hint of a small, fleshy roll beneath his chin when he tucked his head. But the changes had been gradual. And now it was as if he was seeing, for the first time, the vast difference in his facial appearance from just a few short months ago.

He ran a hand over his cheeks and jaw, feeling the hint of stubble against his fingers. He eyed his razor on the sink counter but decided to forgo shaving. He thought, perhaps, allowing his facial hair to grow in a bit would help mask some of the fullness in his face. If nothing else, it would hide the extra flesh beginning to develop beneath his chin.

Hannibal finished in the bathroom and returned to his bedroom to get dressed. The sun had barely risen, and Will was still asleep, sprawled out on his back on the bed. Hannibal got dressed in some of the new clothes Will had bought for him – a black cable-knit sweater that was surprisingly soft and a pair of dark gray plaid trousers. He easily fastened the pants around his waist, and while he was relieved not to have to suck his stomach in or rig the pants with a rubber band, he wasn’t entirely pleased with how they looked on him.

The new pants and sweaters had served him well over the past couple of weeks, but Hannibal could only allow himself to go so long wearing non-tailored clothing. He missed the feeling of the luxurious fabrics that brushed against his skin. And he missed the sophisticated look of the three-piece suits he had grown accustomed to over the years. As he stared in the mirror, he knew the time had come.

Hannibal glanced over his shoulder. Will hadn’t moved in the past few minutes. Hannibal finished getting dressed and left the bedroom. He went downstairs and grabbed his overcoat by the door. He made a mental note to add a couple of new, better-fitting coats to his wardrobe as well – his current coat was becoming increasingly difficult to button, and he had opted to leave it open each time he had worn it over the past several weeks. Then, he left the house, got behind the wheel of his Bentley, and drove to the tailor.

Hannibal had always enjoyed visiting the tailor. The prospect of adding new clothing to his wardrobe was an invigorating idea. But knowing he would have to replace his entire wardrobe had made him a little apprehensive about going in the first place. However, once he arrived, his nerves dissipated. He was ready to accept the change.

His tailor was a white-haired man, twenty years Hannibal’s senior. He didn’t dawdle, and he always took extra care to make sure the clothing was perfect. He wasn’t the type to talk Hannibal’s ear off with stories from his lifetime, and he frequently had patterns and fabrics chosen ahead of time that he thought Hannibal would like. Hannibal had always appreciated his tailor’s efficiency.

Hannibal chose several styles and patterns at the start of his appointment. He was pleased with the progress they had made, and when they were finished with that task, his tailor asked if they needed to re-take Hannibal’s measurements. It was not an uncommon question. Even if Hannibal had not put on a single pound in the past couple of months, he knew his tailor would still ask. But as he stepped up onto the square pedestal surrounded by mirrors, a part of him felt a little uncomfortable all over again about having let himself go so much.

But his tailor said nothing – not that Hannibal had expected him to. He worked quickly, taking Hannibal’s measurements with only a few words of instructions for Hannibal to raise or lower his arms as needed. After a few measurements, the tailor wrapped the measuring tape around Hannibal’s waist. Hannibal glanced down, barely glimpsing the number that was his new waist size before the tailor moved on. Hannibal felt a gentle twinge in his stomach at the realization.

When the tailor had finished, they scheduled an appointment for Hannibal to return and try on the new suits. He was eager to have his new wardrobe of well-fitting clothes. However, as he left the tailor, headed home once again, he couldn’t help but think of the measurement he had seen of his obviously much-larger waistline.

Chapter Text

“You do look thinner in those clothes,” Will said, stopping at the end of the counter. He eyed Hannibal across the room.

Hannibal turned to look at him. “Thank you, Will.”

“Not that that matters to me.” Will smiled. “But I know how you are.”

Hannibal cocked his head, the corners of his mouth turning up. “And how am I?” he asked, curiosity in his eyes.

Will chuckled. “Pretty shallow. Into looks. That sort of thing.”

Hannibal smirked. “Is that so?”

Will grinned, feeling playful.

Hannibal tucked away the plate he had been holding into a cabinet. It looked to be the last of the clean dishes from dinner. Hannibal walked around the counter, stalking towards Will. “I suppose it’s a good thing that you are very attractive, then.”

Will chuckled. “I didn’t mean my looks.”

“No?”

“No, Mister I’ll-Wear-These-Pants-Until-I-Bust-Out-Of-Them-Because-I-Want-To-Pretend-Like-I’m-Still-Thin.”

“That is an exceedingly long surname. If we marry, perhaps I should take your name.”

Will snorted. “Hannibal Graham. That does have a nice ring to it.”

Hannibal smiled as he reached Will. He lifted a hand, tucking Will’s hair behind his ear. “And the prospect of marriage doesn’t frighten you?”

“I don’t scare easily.”

Hannibal nodded. “That is good to hear.”

“Not that I’m ready to get married right now.” Will smirked. “In case you’re planning to propose.”

Hannibal laughed softly. “I was not planning to propose.”

“Good.”

“I thought you said you don’t scare easily.”

“Not being ready is not the same thing as being scared.”

“I suppose that’s true.”

“Why?” Will began. “Are you ready?”

“No.”

Will nodded, offering a small smile.

Hannibal leaned in, planting a gentle kiss on his mouth. Then, he pulled back and asked, “And what do you mean ‘pretend like I’m still thin?’”

“What?” Will furrowed his brow.

“You don’t think I’m still thin?”

Will snorted and then covered his mouth with a hand. He chuckled softly and dropped his hand. “You’re not serious, are you?”

Hannibal tilted his head, curiosity lingering in his expression.

There was no way that the doctor’s question could have been serious. It had been weeks – months, even – since Hannibal could have been considered even close to thin. Nevertheless, Hannibal seemed to be waiting for Will to respond.

“Hannibal,” Will began. He tried not to smile as he reached out and placed both hands on Hannibal’s waist. “You passed the exit for thin thirty miles back and are cruising steadily towards Chunky Town.” He squeezed Hannibal’s love handles. “And by miles, I mean pounds.”

Hannibal let out a chuckle. “I would be in big trouble if I were the type to prefer things sugar-coated.”

Will smiled. “You are gorgeous, Hannibal.”

“Thank you, Will.” Hannibal leaned in close and buried his face in the side of Will’s neck. He brushed his lips across Will’s skin, sending chills throughout the latter’s body.

Will let out a soft moan, closing his eyes. He squeezed Hannibal’s sides over his sweater, feeling the softness of his love handles beneath. The front of his pants tightened.

“Let’s go upstairs,” Will breathed.

Hannibal nodded against his cheek.

The two of them relocated to the bedroom where Will hastily began undressing Hannibal. He grabbed a hold of the bottom of the doctor’s sweater and pulled it up. He worked the sweater off of Hannibal and tossed it onto the floor. Hannibal’s bare torso was exposed, and Will bit his bottom lip as he took in the sight.

Hannibal’s body had expanded and softened significantly. His chest had filled out, broadening in a way that could have still been described as stocky. But south of there, Hannibal had thickened in a different way. He was no longer stocky but chubby. His belly was soft – softer than Will had ever seen it or even imagined it getting.

Will reached out a hand, gripping Hannibal’s plush tummy. His fingers sank into the doughy flesh, and he couldn’t help but notice that Hannibal’s belly had gotten rather flabby. Where it had once only rounded out above his waistband, it had now thickened to the point where the extra meat was beginning to settle over the top of his pants. And Will could see that the button of Hannibal’s new fat-pants was partially obscured by the excess flesh on his stomach.

Hannibal’s sides had only grown thicker and heavier as well. Where there had once been handful-sized love handles, there were now large bulges of flesh that rested heavily atop Hannibal’s waistband.

“Spilling over,” Will murmured, gripping a handful of flesh above each of Hannibal’s hips. He squeezed the soft flesh, recognizing that his hands were no longer large enough to fully palm the bulges on Hannibal’s sides.

“I suppose I am now,” Hannibal said.

Will was pulled from his trance. He smiled up at the doctor. “You are perfect.”

Hannibal returned the smile. “Thank you.”

Will gave Hannibal’s sides another squeeze and then moved his hands down to the doctor’s waistband. He pinched the soft flesh of Hannibal’s underbelly and then popped open the button of his pants. His belly expanded forward slightly, and Will half-expected Hannibal’s bloated tummy to force the zipper down, but it didn’t. The fat-pants had done their job, fitting Hannibal well in his heavier state.

Will pulled the zipper down and gave the pants a gentle tug. They fell to the floor and Hannibal stepped out of them.

Hannibal unbuttoned Will’s flannel shirt, and Will let it fall to floor as Hannibal slowly ran his hands down Will’s chest to his flat stomach. Hannibal’s gaze was on Will’s belly and he seemed transfixed as he moved his hands to Will’s waist and gently brushed both thumbs over Will’s stomach.

“What is it?” Will asked.

“I am thinking that you would look beautiful with a thicker midsection as well.”

Will chuckled. “I will try to keep that sentiment in mind if I ever gain weight.”

“Please do.” Hannibal lifted his gaze to Will’s and smiled. He leaned in and kissed him on the mouth.

Will squeezed Hannibal’s sides as he returned the kiss. Then, he worked his fingers into the waistband of Hannibal’s boxer-briefs and pulled them down. Hannibal worked Will’s pants and underwear off of him, and then they moved to the bed.

Will lay down on his back as Hannibal crawled over him. The muscles of the doctor’s arms had not diminished, and Will could see the way they bulged as he braced his heftier body above Will’s. His love handles were thick above his hips, and Will reached out, gripping both of them tightly. But Will’s favorite aspect of the view from beneath Hannibal was the way the doctor’s belly hung heavily above Will. His stomach had expanded and thickened, growing chubby and plush. As Will looked up at his beautiful boyfriend, he couldn’t help but think that, in that moment, Hannibal looked heavier than he ever had before. Gravity helped the heft of Hannibal’s belly to appear big and round, as though he had swallowed whole a dense, oversized bowling ball. Will slid his hands to Hannibal’s gut, squeezing the extra flesh. It had only continued to get softer and softer over the past few months, and Hannibal now had a thick paunch that looked extra flabby in his current position. He looked big and strong and heavy, and Will felt his crotch growing uncomfortable at the sight.

But it wasn’t just the doctor’s midsection that had expanded. As Will smiled up at Hannibal, he saw that the latter’s face had filled out noticeably as well. His cheeks were fuller, no longer sinking in below his cheekbones. And Will detected a hint of the very beginning of what could quickly become jowls if Hannibal kept up his eating and lack-of-exercising habits. He didn’t generally have a double chin, but the flesh beneath his chin had softened, and if the doctor ducked his head, a crease and small, fleshy fold did form beneath that chin.

Hannibal leaned his head down and kissed Will gently on the mouth. He brushed his lips over Will’s cheek and jawline, and Will felt shivers throughout his entire body. He replaced his hands on Hannibal’s thick love handles, loving how doughy they felt beneath his palms. As Hannibal continued to kiss him, Will could feel the doctor’s belly brush against his own every few moments. Will lightly pinched at Hannibal’s love handles and then slid his hands around to the doctor’s back, feeling the well-insulated muscles of his back contract and flex as he moved. Will slid his hands down and could feel the deep, concave curve of Hannibal’s back and assumed there was too much weight at his front for him to feel comfortable keeping his back straight. Will couldn’t blame him, after all. The doctor was carrying a lot more weight than usual, and he had put it on rather quickly.

Will slid his hands around to Hannibal’s belly again. The hang of his gut was obvious, and Will used both palms to press into it, feeling the heft of it in his hands.

“You look beautiful, Hannibal,” he whispered.

“If a bit on the heavy side.”

Will chuckled. “Yes. Big and heavy and beautiful.”

Hannibal loosened Will up a short time later, and the two of them began to move together. They remained horizontal the majority of the time, but towards the end, Hannibal rose up a little. They continued moving together at a steady pace, and Will watched the way Hannibal’s belly wobbled with the quick, rhythmic motion.

“Oh, God,” Will uttered. He reached out a hand and grasped the jiggling flab of Hannibal’s tummy. He had barely gotten a solid grip before he finished, letting out a loud moan that would have been embarrassing had he not been too aroused to care.

When they had both finished, Hannibal lowered himself onto Will, panting heavily. Will placed his hands on the larger man’s sides, lightly palming the thick love handles.

“You are lovely at this size, Hannibal.”

Hannibal laughed softly against Will’s shoulder, and Will regretted not being able to see how that laugh had made the doctor’s belly jiggle.

“I mean it.”

“I appreciate that, Will. Thank you.”

Will nuzzled Hannibal and lightly caressed his sides. After they had both caught their breath, Hannibal let out a soft sigh and slowly rolled off of Will.

Will protested in a groan. “Where do you think you’re going?”

Hannibal smiled as he sat up on the edge of the bed. Will eyed the doctor’s midsection and the way his soft, fleshy belly formed a round paunch that Will could swear was beginning to settle on the tops of his thighs. Will reached over and rubbed his hand around the swell of Hannibal’s expanded abdomen.

“Just getting a towel,” Hannibal said, standing up. “I will be back.”

Will was about to protest, but as he watched Hannibal walk naked towards the door, he thought better of it. Hannibal’s back was still strong and muscular, but the plush love handles at his hips made him appear so much softer. His backside had gotten plusher and his thighs thicker, but neither was a match for those meaty love handles. Or the fleshy paunch on his belly. And when Hannibal returned to the bedroom, Will saw every inch of that chubby belly on display as Hannibal walked towards him.

Hannibal cleaned up with the towel and tossed it onto the floor. Then, he returned to Will’s side, lying down on the bed next to him.

“I prefer you on top of me.”

Hannibal smiled, rolling onto his side to face Will. “I prefer you able to breathe.”

Will smirked. “Oh, please. You’re not that heavy.”

Hannibal lifted his eyebrows. “Aren’t I?”

“You’re heavy, yes,” Will said with a chuckle. “But not heavy enough to cut off my airflow.”

Hannibal smiled. “Good to know.”

Will rolled onto his side, reaching out to place a hand on Hannibal’s soft hip. He let out a contented sigh as he stared into Hannibal’s amber eyes.

Chapter Text

Hannibal reached out a hand, gently brushing his fingertips down Will’s side. Will’s slender frame was arousing, but Hannibal knew that he would find the younger man impossibly attractive at any weight. However, he had yet to see him at a size other than thin. He stilled his hand on Will’s hip and let out a soft sigh.

“What’s the matter?” Will whispered.

“Nothing’s the matter,” Hannibal replied. Despite the intimacy they had just shared, Hannibal couldn’t help but think back to earlier that morning and his visit to the tailor.

“Hannibal,” Will began, letting out a groan that was filled with exasperation. “Don’t lie to me.”

Hannibal offered a small smile. “It is nothing of concern.”

Will sighed heavily. “I’d still like for you to tell me.”

“It’s vain,” Hannibal admitted in a near-whisper.

Will nodded slowly. “That’s okay,” he said, watching Hannibal closely, no doubt waiting for an elaboration.

Hannibal removed his hand from Will’s side, letting his gaze falter from Will’s. “I visited the tailor this morning.”

“Good.” A grin spread across Will’s face. “Finally. So what’s the problem?”

“I was a little taken aback by the significant difference in my measurements from my previous visit.”

Will nodded slowly, his eyes traveling down Hannibal’s body. He chewed his bottom lip for a moment as though considering his next words carefully.

Hannibal waited, curious what the younger man had to say.

“Hannibal, you are gorgeous,” Will began. He reached out a hand and lightly danced his fingertips across Hannibal’s softened belly. “You and I both know that you have put on some weight, however. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

“I am aware that there is nothing wrong with that.”

“Okay,” Will said, dragging out the word. “So, why are you upset?”

“I suppose I was not expecting such a drastic change.”

“What do you mean?”

“I have crossed over.”

“Crossed over?” Will asked, furrowing his brow.

Hannibal took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “My waistline is no longer in the thirties.”

A slow smile spread across Will’s face. He exhaled a small laugh as he reached out and placed his hand on Hannibal’s cheek. “There is nothing wrong with that either.”

Hannibal nodded. “As I mentioned, it’s vain.”

“Nevertheless, I’m sorry you’re upset.”

“I will grow accustomed to it.”

“Being upset?” Will asked with a smirk.

Hannibal smiled. “Having a forty-plus waistline.”

Will grinned at that, a playful twinkle dancing in his eyes. He reached out and gently pinched a bit of the extra flesh on Hannibal’s side. “I know I will.”

Hannibal smiled, thinking back over the last couple of months and how Will had found nearly any excuse to touch Hannibal’s thicker body. “I believe you already have.”

Will snorted. “You’re right about that.”

“I was thinking, however, that I may like to resume a workout schedule.”

“What?” Will’s expression fell, his lips parting and his eyes going wider than usual. “Why?”

Hannibal chuckled softly at Will’s mortified expression. “To stay fit. Or, more accurately, healthy.”

A frown formed on the younger man’s face and he sighed, reaching out to lightly brush his fingers down Hannibal’s belly.

“I do not intend to lose weight,” Hannibal said in an attempt to reassure Will.

Will looked at him again, lifting his eyebrows. “Really?”

“Is that a surprise to you?”

“Well, yes, considering you just told me that you want to start exercising regularly again.”

“Exercise is not always aimed at slimming down.”

“Good. Because you sure as hell don’t need to slim down.”

“I simply would like to remain strong and healthy. Perhaps keep from adding any more additional weight, but I have no desire to shed the inches I have already accumulated.”

“Good,” Will muttered. “Because I love your inches.”

Hannibal chuckled softly.

Will shifted on the bed, pushing himself up. He crawled over Hannibal who rolled onto his back. Will straddled Hannibal’s thicker waist, dragging his hands down Hannibal’s sides. He stilled his hands above Hannibal’s hips and pinched the excess flesh. He leaned down close to Hannibal’s face and whispered, “Every. Single. One.” Then, he planted a firm kiss on Hannibal’s mouth.

Hannibal wrapped his arms around Will, sliding his hands down the younger man’s back to the gentle swell of his backside.

“Up for round two, Doctor Lecter?” Will whispered.

Hannibal gripped the meaty flesh on Will’s backside and growled. “Absolutely.”

Chapter Text

As Hannibal stepped out of the shower, he glanced into the mirror. It had been eight weeks since he had re-instated his exercise regimen, and he was pleased to see the way his body had changed.

He hadn’t intended to lose weight, but the increase in activity had done that for him, nonetheless. He was still far from thin – much to Will’s very vocal delight -- but he had trimmed a couple of inches off his waist. And he was glad to see the way his face had thinned again.

He had not gotten remotely close to his original weight, and he couldn’t fit into his old pants without the help of a small rubber band, but he didn’t mind. And Will not only didn’t mind, but he seemed thrilled that Hannibal had kept the majority of his extra weight.

Hannibal had lost most of the flabbiness on his belly, but he still had several extra pounds packed on around his midsection. He remained strong, with a significant amount of muscle on his body. That muscle just happened to be covered by a noticeable layer of fat. Will occasionally described Hannibal as stocky, and the latter thought that that term suited his body type well.

Hannibal had visited his tailor again after having lost some weight. He had worn the newly tailored clothes for two weeks without having lost another pound. His weight seemed to have plateaued, and he was content with that. He could no longer be considered lean, but he was still strong and healthy. And Will’s desire for him – while plenty healthy when Hannibal had been thin – had only seemed to increase over the past few months.

Hannibal decided that he had reached a happy medium regarding his body. The exercise was sure to keep him healthy, but his routine was not as rigorous as it had once been, and he had not cut back on his calorie intake. He knew his metabolism would only continue to slow down over the years, but for the time being, his weight had become static, and he was pleased with his body and his level of fitness.

He dried off and applied deodorant, wrapping a towel around his waist and returning to the bedroom. He found Will seated on the bed, shirtless like he had been while asleep, but he was leaning back against the headboard with the duvet draped over his legs.

Will smiled when he saw Hannibal, his eyes drifting over the latter’s bare torso. “You look amazing.”

Hannibal smiled. “Thank you, Will.”

“Have you lost any more weight?”

Hannibal tilted his head.

Will smirked. “Please. Like I don’t know you hop on the scale every week.”

Hannibal let the smile creep across his face. “My weigh-in day was yesterday.”

Will lifted his eyebrows. “And?”

“And I have not lost any weight for two weeks.”

Will nodded, not bothering in the least to contain his grin. “Good.”

Hannibal chuckled softly. “My weight seems to have hit a plateau.”

“Good,” Will repeated.

“Yes.”

“I’m glad.”

Hannibal nodded. “I know.”

Will smiled. “Although, I do miss that flab you were getting.”

Hannibal chuckled again. “Don’t worry, Will. My exercise routine is not enough to slim me down to where I once was. I am afraid you will be stuck with a much thicker boyfriend than the one you initially agreed to date.”

“It’s about damn time.”

Hannibal grinned. He unwrapped the towel from his waist and let it fall to the floor. He crawled onto the bed beside Will, leaning in to kiss him gently on the lips. Will’s hands went to Hannibal’s sides, squeezing the love handles that had shrunk only slightly over the past eight weeks. Hannibal had noticed that his sides had not slimmed down as much as his belly had, but Will seemed drawn to them, and Hannibal was content with that.

Hannibal wove the fingers of one hand through Will’s hair, letting his free hand come to a rest on Will’s bare side, just over his ribcage. When they finished kissing, Hannibal pulled back, taking in the sight before him. He ran his fingertips down Will’s ribcage. His ribs had always been noticeable but for some reason, they didn’t seem quite as prominent in that moment. He leaned back a little more, running his hand over Will’s chest. The younger man had always been thin, his chest never having filled out like Hannibal’s had. He trailed his fingers down the minimal amount of chest hair to Will’s belly. And that’s when he noticed it.

Hannibal’s lips parted with the realization. He ran his palm over Will’s stomach. That belly had always been flat. It had always been lean. Even in the sitting position, Will had never had an extra ounce of fat on that belly. But now, Hannibal noticed something different.

Settled below Will’s navel and above his waistband, there was the slightest hint of softness. It wasn’t a fold or even really pudge, but it was something. A hint of added flesh. A few pounds. Just enough weight to keep that part of his stomach from remaining flat.

“What?” Will asked in a whisper.

Hannibal looked up to see Will staring at him, his brow furrowed slightly. “Nothing,” Hannibal answered. “I am just thinking about how beautiful you are.”

Will chuckled. “Thank you.”

Hannibal returned his gaze to Will’s abdomen. He danced his fingertips over the softened area of Will’s belly, and he couldn’t contain the smile that spread across his face.