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Title: Don't Make Me Choose
By: angstytimelord
Pairing: Hannibal Lecter/Will Graham
Fandom: Hannibal
Rating: PG-13
Author's Note: Sequel to "Overly Possessive."
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.

***

Will sighed softly as he sat on the couch, staring at Max.

The dog hadn't begun to behave any better over the past few days. Will had come up with the idea of showing him a picture of Hannibal, and that hadn't worked out well.

Max had taken one look at the photograph and snarled, then begun barking and lunging for the picture, as though he wanted to rip it to shreds.

Why did the dog hate Hannibal so much? Will couldn't figure out what the cause of Max's animosity was. He'd had to pull his arm back hurriedly and put the picture on the coffee table facing downwards, hiding the image of his boyfriend, before Max would calm down.

He was completely mystified as to what had caused this. It wasn't as though Hannibal and Max had met before, so he was at a loss to explain Max's hatred of the other man.

Hannibal hadn't made a move towards Max that was unfriendly; in fact, he was always pleasant to the dogs, petting them, speaking to them.

So why didn't Max return those friendly gestures?

Will shook his head at the dog, tempted to wag a finger at him but knowing that it wouldn't do any good. "What am I going to do with you, Max?" he sighed.

He wasn't going to get rid of the dog. He had adopted Max, and he knew that the dog was fond of him. And he had a fiercely protective feeling towards the animal.

But Max either had to learn to get along with Hannibal, or at least to tolerate his presence. The way things were now, it didn't seem that he would. Eventually, Will knew that he'd have to make a choice -- and that wasn't something he relished having to do.

"Max, please don't make me choose between you two," he begged, closing his eyes and wishing that the dog could understand his words. "It's something I can't do."

He didn't want to have to make that kind of a choice. It was something that he simply couldn't do. He was stuck between the proverbial rock and a hard place.

Choosing between them simply wasn't possible.

If he chose Hannibal, then he would always feel guilty, as though he had somehow betrayed Max. And if he chose Max, then he'd feel guilty about his boyfriend.

And if he chose Max, then he would lose Hannibal. He didn't doubt that for a second. The man he loved would be angry over the fact that Will wouldn't find someone to take the dog, and their relationship would be over. He couldn't bear that. It would destroy him.

But how was he supposed to make this kind of a choice without ripping his own heart in two? And why was Max more or less forcing him to do it?

"Why are you acting like this, Max?" he asked with a sigh, his shoulders sagging. "Why don't you like Hannibal? Why can't you just get along with him?"

If only the dog could talk, Will thought with another sigh as he rested his chin on his palm and studied Max, who was sitting on the floor in front of him, tongue lolling out, tail wagging. He looked like the friendliest dog in the world, but for some reason, he didn't show this side to Hannibal.

He simply couldn't figure out what it was about his boyfriend that the dog took such exception to. It wasn't as though Max really knew Hannibal.

Maybe that was the answer. Will blinked, his mind racing.

Maybe the problem was that Max and Hannibal didn't know each other at all. Maybe if they spent some time together, with Will as a mediator, Max would calm down.

It was worth a try, he thought, his spirits rising. If Hannibal would agree to go out of his way to be here, to spend more time around Max, maybe the dog would get used to him.

Was that idea even worth pursuing? Will wasn't sure of it; he didn't know if that was the answer. But at this point, he would try anything to restore peace to his world. All he knew was that things had to change between Max and Hannibal -- and it had to happen fairly quickly.

Hannibal wasn't a man who was known for his patience, and in this case, Will didn't blame him. Especially as there was no reason for this situation to even be happening.

If only Max would suddenly change his attitude, and accept Hannibal with no problems! Though of course, that wasn't very likely to happen.

What could it be that was making the dog behave so badly?

Will rested his chin in his hand again, frowning in concentration. There couldn't be anything that Hannibal had done to make Max dislike him. That just wasn't possible.

So, it had to be some sort of instinct that Max had about Hannibal. But the other dogs seemed to like him -- or at least to tolerate his presence, Will told himself.

That only left some kind of personal animosity that Max had to Hannibal, and Will was completely stupefied as to what it could be. He just hoped that Max would finally decide Hannibal wasn't such a bad guy after all and accept him. He didn't want to make a painful choice.

It wouldn't be fair to the dog to adopt him, to give him a forever home, and then give him away to someone else just because Max didn't like his boyfriend.

But if he wanted to keep his relationship smooth and worry-free, and if Max's attitude didn't change for the better, what other choice did he have?

Will shook his head, frowning at the dog who still sat in front of him.

"This isn't a choice I can make, Max," he said, his tone quiet but firm. "You've got to start behaving better around Hannibal, whether you like him or not."

He wished that he could make the dog understand the importance of his words, or at least understand from his tone that what he was saying was serious.

Of course, Max wouldn't understand the words. But maybe the dog could somehow catch on to what he felt, the fact that he didn't want to choose between an already beloved pet and his boyfriend. It was a choice that would make him miserable, no matter which side he took.

"You're making this really hard for me, you know," he told the dog, his tone severe. "I don't think you have any idea how much trouble you're causing me."

Max only looked at him with his head tilted to the side, barking once and giving Will a doggy smile. He had to smile in return, his good humor slowly returning.

No, if it came down to making a choice, it wouldn't be easy for him in any way.

***