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Title: Overly Possessive
By: angstytimelord
Pairing: Hannibal Lecter/Will Graham
Fandom: Hannibal
Rating: PG-13
Author's Note: Sequel to "A Deliberate Attack."
Disclaimer: This is entirely a product of my own imagination, and I make no profit from it. I do not own the lovely Hannibal Lecter or Will Graham, unfortunately, just borrowing them for a while. Please do not sue.

***

"I think he just feels overly possessive of me, that's all."

Will spread his hands out helplessly in front of him, unable to come up with any other theory as to how Max was behaving. He was at a loss.

He really didn't know if it was possessiveness that was making Max behave so oddly, but it seemed to be as good an explanation as any other.

But Hannibal was shaking his head and crossing his arms over his chest, a black look on his face. "No, Will," he said, his voice quiet with suppressed anger. "You do not belong to that animal. If it thinks that you do, then it is sadly mistaken. As it will discover."

"Don't call Max an 'it,'" Will snapped, folding his own arms across his chest. "He's my dog, and I'm fond of him. If you don't like him, that's too bad."

Even as he said the words, he knew that he was making a mistake. He shouldn't be so confrontational; it would only annoy his boyfriend.

It was obvious that Hannibal was already annoyed.

Will didn't like this state of affairs, but there was nothing he could do about it. He didn't like the nasty tone that Hannibal used when he spoke about Max.

He loved his boyfriend, yes. But Hannibal had to realize that he loved his dogs, too. They were strays, unwanted by the world. They had no one other than Will to take care of them. The dogs needed him -- and it was part of psyche that he wanted to be needed.

If Hannibal couldn't accept that, then maybe they shouldn't be seeing each other, he told himself in a moment of internal bravado.

Though he knew even as the thought coalesced that he didn't mean it.

He didn't want to lose Hannibal. He loved this man. He just wanted his boyfriend to be able to accept his pets -- and more, he wanted Max to accept Hannibal.

But just how was he supposed to bring that about? The dog didn't seem to be getting used to Hannibal at all, or to like him any more as time went by.

Will was completely mystified as to why Max was behaving the way he was. Hannibal had done nothing to make the dog angry, as far as he could. Maybe he was all that playful with the dogs, but he wasn't standoffish or cruel to them, either. He didn't mistreat them.

So why did Max seem to dislike Hannibal so much?

It simply didn't make any sense to him.

Will's shoulders slumped, and he closed his eyes. "I don't know what to tell you, Hannibal," he said, his voice soft, his tone weary. "I can't make Max suddenly have a change of heart and decide to like you. And I don't know why he's acting like this. I wish I did."

"Perhaps you should give the dog away, Will," Hannibal told him, his voice equally soft. "Surely you know people who would appreciate having such a protective pet."

Will shook his head, feeling at a loss for words again. "No, I don't know anybody who wants a dog," he said. "And besides, he's mine. He needs me, Hannibal."

He had to make his boyfriend understand that fact.

He couldn't just abandon Max, or any of his dogs. They were his pets; he loved them. He had rescued them, and he wouldn't turn any of them away.

Hannibal didn't have a pet; maybe he never had, even when he was a child. Will had never asked him about that before. Maybe he just didn't understand the peculiar kind of possessiveness that could develop between a person and a beloved pet. A lot of people didn't.

Whatever happened, he knew that one thing he wasn't going to do was give Max away. They would stick together, even though the animal was behaving strangely.

He'd made a choice. And he'd chosen Max over Hannibal.

Only he didn't want his boyfriend to feel that way, he thought with a sigh. And it shouldn't have to come down to him making a choice between one and the other.

The problem was that both his dog and his lover were possessive of him, and that neither one of them was wiling to give an inch.

"You do what you think is best, Will," Hannibal said, shaking his head. "But the next time that I come to your home, I expect that dog to be restrained somehow, or kept outside. I will not tolerate being disrespected, even by an animal. You should teach that dog some manners."

"I'll try, Hannibal," Will told him, hoping that he could manage to somehow get it into Max's head that he had to stop being so unfriendly. "Maybe you're right about that."

Obedience school? he asked himself, wondering if that might be a good idea. But Max wasn't a bad-mannered dog. He just didn't seem to like Hannibal.

No, that wasn't the answer. It didn't seem necessary.

Hannibal sighed softly, shaking his head. "Whatever the dog's problem with me is, Will, I hope that it can be resolved soon. I don't like feeling unwelcome."

Will nodded, knowing that Hannibal was right. His boyfriend didn't deserve to have to feel unwelcome in his home, and he certainly didn't deserve to feel uncomfortable around Will's pets. Something would have to be done to stem Max's overly possessive attitude.

But what, exactly? He had no idea where to start with that, but maybe he could find someone who trained dogs and talk to them about the problem.

Yes, that was at least an idea to start with. A good one.

"I'll do something about it, Hannibal," he said, venturing a small smile and hoping that his boyfriend's annoyance would cool. "I promise. I'll find a way."

Hannibal's answering smile made him feel much more at ease, and when the other man held out his arms, Will could do nothing but go into them, their argument forgotten for the moment.

***