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Title: Intimidated By Darkness
By: angstytimelord
Pairing: Hannibal Lecter/Will Graham
Fandom: Hannibal
Rating: PG-13
Table: 1drabble
Prompt: 25, Darkness
Author's Note: Sequel to "Waiting For the Sun."
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 raised his head from the pillow, awakened by an unexpected noise.

There it was again -- a dog barking. It was obviously inside; one of his dogs was barking at something outside the house, apparently, disturbed by a presence.

He wasn't sure that he wanted to know what that presence was, not given all that had been going on in his life lately. But he had to find out; if there was something menacing him and his pets, it was better to face it head-on than to cower in fear.

Besides, he wasn't afraid of whatever it was, he told himself firmly as he kicked the covers back and got out of bed. He had a gun, and he knew how to defend himself.

He wasn't going to let himself be intimidated by the darkness.

Will crept downstairs, not bothering to put on any clothes. If he was going to face something dangerous, he could do it in boxers and a t-shirt.

He had his gun in his hand; he wasn't going to go outside without it. Whatever might be out there, he was going to face it, and if he had to, he'd put a bullet through it. He just hoped that whatever -- or whoever -- it was didn't decide to do just that to him first.

Taking a deep breath, he faced the door where Winston, Lucy, and Buster scratched and whined. All three of the dogs seemed agitated; there was definitely something out there.

Will closed his eyes for just a moment, then took another deep breath as he made the dogs get back from the door. He flung it open, advancing out onto the porch.

He looked around him carefully, but there seemed to be nothing there. He couldn't hear or see anything -- but then, if the killer he was on the trail of was stalking him, then they were probably very good at hiding their presence until it was too late.

He didn't want to move too far from the doorway, but he had to. He advanced another few steps, holding his breath, looking around cautiously in the inky night.

And then almost screamed when a pair of red eyes seemed to loom at him from the darkness.

Will gasped, raising the gun, his finger starting to tighten on the trigger -- until he heard a whine, and then a soft bark that almost sounded like a question.

Relief surged through him, almost making him sag to the ground, feeling as though his weakened knees couldn't hold him up. A dog. That was what his dogs had been so disturbed by. There was a stray dog outside, prowling around outside his house.

It wasn't a killer, after all. It was a hungry stray dog, one who probably wanted food and warmth. Well, that could be easily taken care of.

"Come on, boy," he said, holding out his hand. "Let's get you inside and cleaned up."

***