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Title: I See You
By: angstytimelord
Pairing: Hannibal Lecter/Will Graham
Fandom: Hannibal
Rating: PG-13
Author's Note: Sequel to "Don't Want These Memories."
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 can see how confused you are, Will. And I want to help you."

Will shook his head, feeling more frustrated than he had in a long time. "I don't think you can help me, Hannibal. I have to do this by myself. It's the only way."

"Why do you think that having another person along for the ride, so to speak, will not help you?" Hannibal sat back in his chair, crossing his legs, a frown furrowing his brow.

"Because this is between me and whoever is doing this to me," Will said, resisting the urge to grind his teeth. Why couldn't he get that point across to Hannibal? Was the other man deliberately misunderstanding him, or was Hannibal trying to tell him something?

Well, what it might be that Hannibal wanted him to know, he would have to spit it out. Will was tired of trying to divine meanings from oblique phrases.

"If you want to say something, then just say it out front, Hannibal," he finally said, meeting the other man's gaze with his own. "In plan words. Just spell it out for me."

He didn't avert his gaze, just kept staring into Hannibal's dark eyes.

Finally, Hannibal nodded, leaning forward as he spoke. "I see you, Will. I see you more clearly than anyone else can. Possibly even more clearly than you can see yourself."

Will raised his brows, not quite knowing what Hannibal was getting at. "Yes, you've always been able to see into me, Hannibal. I've known that since we had our first session."

"I think that in conjuring up this person who's bruised you, attacked you, that you're reaching out for something that even you may not realise you need -- or desire," Hannibal continued, his words slow and measured. "But I can see what you need, Will. I see it as clearly as sunlight on water."

Will swallowed hard; the intensity of Hannibal's gaze was almost beginning to frighten him. What was this man getting at? What did Hannibal think he needed -- and wanted?

"So tell me what it is that you think I need," he managed to say, knowing that it might be dangerous to give Hannibal an opening like this, but feeling that he had to do so.

"I think you need someone to look after you, Will," Hannibal said, gazing into his young lover's eyes. "More than simply a boyfriend, more than the relationship that you and I have now. I think you need .... a master. Someone to give you all that you need, without you having to think about it."

Will knew that his mouth was hanging open at Hannibal's words; he couldn't seem to close it. What the hell was his lover talking about? He needed a master?

What did he think their lives were, some kind of bad outtakes from that hideous fifty shades crap? He couldn't believe that Hannibal was telling him this.

Was this what Hannibal had always thought of him?

"You think I need to be controlled?" he finally managed to say. "That I can't think for myself?" A kernel of anger was growing inside of him, at an exponential rate.

Did his lover really think that he needed someone to keep him under some kind of control? Was that what Hannibal meant by needing a "master?"

"I don't want to control you completely, Will." Hannibal was shaking his head, his voice gentle. "I merely meant that you need someone to take away all of your confusion, someone to make your path clearer. And as I am the man who you've chosen as your lover, I believe that I can fill that purpose."

Will leaned forward, intrigued by Hannibal's words in spite of himself. He wanted to know exactly what his boyfriend meant, wanted those words clarified.

He wanted everything between them to be crystal-clear before he agreed to anything, but the idea of having his path clarified for him was one that he couldn't simply walk away from.

Yes, he needed to have his future made clearer. And maybe Hannibal could do that.

"I see you, Will," Hannibal said, his gaze riveted to Will's. "I see you clearly,and I want you to see yourself just as well. I'm sure that in time, you will. But you need guidance."

Slowly, Will nodded, wondering if he was doing the right thing, but feeling unable to stop himself. "Okay, if I agree to let you be my .... master, just how will this work?"

"You will surrender yourself to me, in ways that you haven't before," Hannibal told him, his voice growing stronger as he continued to speak. "You will let me guide you down the path to your destiny, Will. And you will let me lift this burden from your shoulders. You don't need to keep carrying it."

Slowly, deliberately, Will nodded, wondering if he was being foolish to agree to this. He didn't like the thought of having to relinquish all control to Hannibal, but maybe they could compromise there.

"We'll need to talk about some things before I agree to this," he said, hoping that Hannibal would either back away from the idea, or agree to his words.

Hannibal nodded, a small smile curving his lips.

"Of course we will," he said, his voice very soft, almost like a caress. Will suddenly felt as if they were in the bedroom, and Hannibal had just released warm breath onto his bare skin.

Taking a deep breath, Will made up his mind, quickly saying the words that he knew were needed between them before things could move forward any further. "If you can help me with all of this, help me find some resolution in my mind, then I'll be whatever you need me to be," he said, swallowing again.

"I intend to do just that, Will." Hannibal's voice was stronger than ever, as was his firm clasp when he reached out a hand to take Will's. "You will have closure."

Will hoped that he was right, as he looked at their clasped hands.

Where was this going? Had he gotten himself into more than he would be able to handle by agreeing to Hannibal's odd proposition? What would happen between them now?

Those were questions that he couldn't answer. But somehow, the fact that Hannibal could see him, into him, gave him an odd sense of something much like comfort.

***