Losing You Terrifies Me

Chapter 24

"You tampered with evidence?" Hannibal asked as he picked up Will's coat from the night before that had been thrown unceremoniously to the floor. It had been oddly heavy and Hannibal had emptied the contents of the pockets to find an evidence bag with a loaded magazine.

"To protect us," Will muttered around the cup of coffee that was at his lips. "If they can place me at that crime scene, they're going to know I remember you and know where you are."

Hannibal looked over the magazine thoughtfully, trying to take in the empath's meaning behind it, unsure if he should be proud or not. He was relieved that his earlier worry of being turned over to the authorities had been only that, a worry.

But now Will was changing, morphing, becoming. He was becoming something that Hannibal always knew he could be, becoming something Hannibal had awakened in the man. But at the same time, as exciting as that was, Hannibal loved Will just as Will had always been. The empath who felt far too much and tried to help even if it shattered him into pieces. Hannibal didn't want to lose that part of Will to whatever path Will was taking now, but he would follow Will to the ends of the earth. After all, everyone changed. No one was ever the same person they were a month ago and it was Hannibal's job to accept the changes and love every version of this man, not just the version he had fallen in love with.

"You don't seem pleased," Will's voice called, pulling Hannibal from somewhere deep in the back of his mind.

"I didn't say that," Hannibal contradicted, hanging up the coat and bringing the scrunched up photo and evidence bag to the dining table that Will sat at, feet up on the chair across from him, coffee mug in hand and looking out at the sliding glass door to the backyard where the dogs were. Hannibal set the items on the table in front of Will. "I am just concerned for your wellbeing is all."

Will smiled. "My wellbeing? My wellbeing was shoved out of a window the moment I decided I was in love with you."

"And when was that moment, Will?"

Hannibal picked up his own mug that Will had poured for him and took a sip, waiting for Will's face to return from the thoughtful frown it had dove into.

"The first time I felt something for you was when you saved that man in the ambulance. Seeing you so willing to protect..." Will trailed off, leaving the sentence unfinished. "But I realized I loved you that night I called you," Will answered softly, grip tightening on the cup. "I wasn't decided. Not until I heard your voice and told you to run."

Hannibal stood still, in contemplation, a hint of regret digging through his veins like daggers in his blood. Had he read the situation wrong? He had been the happiest in his life he had ever been until the moment he smelt Freddie Louds on Will. Had been so blissfully unaware up to that moment and then everything shattered, crashed down around him. And maybe that had blinded him to Will's true feelings. Will wouldn't have warned him if he didn't care. It was a bitter pill to take, but one Hannibal could readily accept. He was not above accepting his flaws. He had been wrong.

"I'm sorry."

Will coughed on his sip of coffee and sputtered, hand going to his mouth as he sat up, feet now on the floor. "What?" he asked, looking up at Hannibal.

"I was wrong," Hannibal said with a small nod, though he didn't dare look at Will. No, he kept his eyes firmly outside on the rising sun. He couldn't look at Will's expression. He didn't want to see the pain there, didn't want to know what Will was thinking. "I reacted poorly and took many things from you that night. I'm sorry."

Out of his peripherals, Hannibal could see Will rise to his feet, but he still kept his eyes trained outside. Out on the misty winter morning. Out on the snow that was frozen to ice and no longer a gentle powder from the last snowfall.